Run
by xXNorweiganAssassinXx
Summary: Years after the lil' Diablo incident, Shego runs into the last person she wants to see. Now, not only is she taking part in a dangerous race, but dragging her arch-nemesis along for the ride.
1. Chapter 1

**Somewhere in San Francisco**

"Must… lose… this… crowd..." Brief mutterings spewed from her mouth as she sprinted around another corner in an attempt to shake her gaining pursuers. Her legs were beginning to burn after such a long chase. There were just _so many _of them and they only seemed to multiply. Evasion was getting so much more difficult.

As she rounded yet another corner, she was met with the first beautiful sight in what seemed a lifetime; a solid, wooden, eight foot wall. The hint of a smirk graced her lips as she forced herself to go just a little faster. "Just… over… the damn… thing…"

One foot met with the wall, followed quickly by the second, and she threw herself over the obstacle and into where she believed was a safe zone. She landed with less grace than she would have liked, rolling to save herself the irritation of a sprained ankle, and began to run again, hoping to put as much space between her and _them._

She reached a solid distance of seven blocks before she even started to slow, hoping to gain as much distance as she could. The prospect of reaching her destination sooner was also in mind but half the city still stood in her way.

She found herself in a dark alleyway just off the main road. No one would think to look for her here in such a closed off space in amongst the garbage.

"It's pathetic… what I've been… reduced to." Her breath began to catch up, the oxygen burning her lungs as it mixed with the toxic fumes. She let her back lean against a grimy wall, knowing full well that she was going to have to wash her outfit, if she didn't burn it first.

"Reduced to? Sure you weren't always this low?"

That voice; one that would have made her tense up with the premonition of a fight; one that she knew as well as one might know a lover's. It had been quite a few years since she had heard that voice and it brutally reminded what she had been stripped of.

She continued to lean against the wall, head down and long hair blocking her face from her once-upon-a-time nemesis. It was probably not the smartest move but it was the safest in this case. She let out a sigh before answering, "I see that your back to being their lapdog. Or did you ever really stop being so _good?_" The last word slid from her tongue, dripping with venom.

"Someone has to keep the likes of you off the streets, don't they?" The other person just played it off, taking no notice of the loathing laced within her words.

It was just too sweet for her liking. "I haven't done anything wrong. So what? I got a speeding ticket and didn't want to stick around for it. Shouldn't you be chasing after the _real _convicts?" She did nothing to hide the growing irritation in her voice.

"As far as I'm concerned, you _are_ a real convict. You still have to pay that ticket," her voice carried the same nonchalance as before.

She pushed herself off of the wall and made to leave, "Just put it on my tab."

"I'm not done with you yet," the other person's voice left no room for an argument over this topic.

That meant little to her, the unappealing thought of listening to a tirade of all the errors of her ways through the other's eyes posing an incredible force. "I am. Catch ya later."

"Why so unwilling to fight? Scared that you've lost your touch? Spent too long relaxing?" It never took much to provoke the other woman and her opponent knew that.

Now, she was never one to back down from a fight, but her pride along with a little common sense was nagging at her to not get involved in something that would most likely not turn out in her favor.

She didn't listen.

She whipped around, snarling, "If it's a fight you want, I'll give you one, _Princess!_" The last word was filled with so much malice it froze her opponent momentarily.

That split second, along with a quick jab to the stomach and a sweep of the legs, was all it took to take her enemy down. Her nemesis was quick to recover, pushing themselves into a back handspring and righting the stance right before a fist hit the cement where their head had been moments before. She hissed in pain and quickly withdrew her hand, feeling true pain radiate over her bruised knuckles.

"A little rusty, I see," her opponent quipped. A few quick jabs were traded, all of them blocked except the last, which connected to her jaw sending her back into the wall.

She growled, covering up her breathlessness and flew at her opponent, fear of inadequacy somewhere in her subconscious. She never let it show, using a hidden anger to continue exchanging blows.

If she had been completely aware of how she was fighting at the moment, she would have realized how stupid it was. You _never _get into a fight with your emotions holding the reins, especially when there is some form of fear hiding in the far reaches of your brain. You will only lose at that rate. Not being in the completely the right state of mind, she continued with her shoddy attack.

Her enemy blocked every attack with ease and caught on quickly that this wasn't really a fight anymore. A quick duck and sweep of the legs sent her to the floor almost painlessly.

Before a foot could come down to hold her in place, she rolled and stood up once more. "You're seriously fighting me over a stupid ticket?"

"Don't tell me you don't miss it. Now, light those hands up and let's _really_ get started." Her opponent lowered herself into a fighting stance.

It was an attempt to get her focus back to the fight and away from wherever else it was, but it didn't work. She stayed standing, back towards the exit. The change in her eyes at the suggestion didn't go unnoticed. They became harder and slightly distant.

A dull pain, long forgotten but not missed, began to burn inside her. "Sorry, _Princess,_ but I really have to be somewhere right now, so I'll catch you another time." The pet name burned as if mocking the owner.

She turned to leave, rounding the corner and quickening her pace with little regard to the person she left behind or the condition of her filth coated suit.

That voice spoke up behind her, "Four and a half _years _and that's all you have to say for yourself? You have somewhere to be?"

She scowled but kept up her pace. Couldn't she just be left alone?

She never answered which was probably a mistake because her once-upon-a-time nemesis kept digging, "Even Drakken continued his attempts at taking over the world. So where were you that entire time?"

"Took an extended vacation. I don't usually announce it to the world that I'm taking one," she said dryly. She sped up after realizing where she was and that up ahead was an extremely high end casino.

"For four and a half _years_?"

She growled inwardly, hating interrogation, "Did I mention it was extended?"

"Then why are you in San Francisco? Don't you usually go somewhere exotic like Greece or Italy?"

"This is a coastal city. Nothing wrong with it." She kept looking ahead, not risking her eyes giving anything away.

She knew better than to expect a straight answer and something in the woman's words made her suspicious. Something was definitely wrong with this situation. "C'mon Shego. You and I both know that doesn't explain why you have absolutely no time, even for a sparring match. Have you seriously been slacking that much?" She knew she had pressed the wrong buttons the second the same painful look filled her enemy's eyes.

"I fought you just fine back there and I would have beaten you if I wasn't so pressed for time," she snapped at the younger woman. "Why are you still following me anyways? Don't you have a world to save or something?" she sneered. Offense was the best defense.

"Evading a simple question with one of your own?"

"It was two, actually."

She let the conversation slide for the time being, "This was the mission for the night, _actually_. Apparently, hundreds of cars have passed through the city."

"Wow. Cars through a city. I think it's called 'society' or something like that."

She gave the woman a halfhearted glare. "It wouldn't seem strange except they're mostly foreign models with supercharged engines and racing bodywork done. That would probably have gone unnoticed if numerous bank accounts across the country, and some outside, weren't losing large quantities of money. Two hundred fifty thousand from each and it was all tracked here. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

Shego shrugged, seemingly innocent, "Nope."

"Right." She didn't believe her, but it didn't matter. "And to answer the other question, I'm not leaving until you pay for the ticket. Now will you answer me?"

"I don't have to do anything about any of those things. Why do you care so much, anyways?"

"You've been gone for quite a few years. I thought you were dead." She almost seemed reluctant before continuing, "And because it was _too _easy to defeat Drakken."

"Awe, did Kimmie miss me?" she taunted the other woman dryly, watching her.

Her opponent gave a thoughtful look, "It wasn't the same without you there. So yeah, I guess I kinda did."

The other woman sniffed and carried on with her brisk walk. She felt some sort of pride at that little detail; all the years of sparring had built some sort of connection between them. They walked in silence for the next block and a half, the few people on the sidewalk giving them - mostly Shego – strange looks, before the building she was looking for came into view.

"There it is."

"There what is?"

"The casino."

"You sped through town to _gamble_?" A fine red eyebrow was raised.

The other woman sighed, slightly irritated at the other woman's ignorance, "Nope. But it's a stop I have to make now."

As they neared the well lit building, Shego began to scan the parking lot, eyes sharp and focused.

"Don't tell me you're here to steal something," Kim's voice was bland.

It was much to Shego's discontent that Kim had stuck around as long as she had, "I believe this is where we take our separate paths, Pumpkin."

"You still have to pay the ticket!"

"Fat chance." She spotted what she wanted, located on the other side of the entrance, and boy, was it beautiful. She went straight for the prize, ignoring her nagging adversary.

The car was a newer model, fresh off the factory line. Although not in her colour, it could easily be modified. She hummed her approval.

"You're not planning to steal _that_, are you?" Kim spoke up again, voice warning.

"What are you now? My moral compass? Go off and do your thing and save the world from the _real_ bad guys," her words were mocking, eyes never leaving the machine before her.

"Not if your about to do something criminal."

Shego rolled her eyes, facing the younger woman. "Haven't had your fill of screwing with my life, have you? Plus, it isn't stealing if it's from people who steal to get it. It's just claiming what is technically 'freelance' equipment."

"I never 'screwed' with your life. Sure, I stopped you from criminal activity," a smile cracked over her face, "but I never actually messed up your life. And stealing is stealing, whichever way you look at it."

"If you only knew," Shego muttered under her breath, barely audible to the other woman.

"What's that supposed to me- Shego! What are you doing!"

"What? I'm not getting into _this_ wearing this dirty suit! It's disgusting and would destroy the seats."

"In the middle of a parking lot! With people driving by!" Kim averted her eyes, a slight blush on her cheeks.

Shego saw the redheads face in the dim light, taking advantage of the situation, "Like what you see, Princess? Or scared you might like what you see?" Before she could take the second sleeve of her catsuit off, shouting could be heard from the entrance of the casino.

"Oh great." She reached into the pouch around her calf and pulled out a small metal key-looking object. She forced it into the locking mechanism and began to pick it. With her skill, it unlocked almost immediately, but being the newer model that it was, the alarm went off. "Oh, now isn't _that_ convenient."

"Did you seriously just break into the car?"

"No, the alarm just went off just so you would _think_ I broke in. And I'm not really getting in. It's all a hallucination." She slid into the driver seat and ran her hands over the wheel. All leather interior. Yes!

She took a deep breath of the beautiful smell before she tore open the bottom of the steering wheel and began to play with the wires, finding the needed ones instantly. The car started with the purring of an engine just as shots began to fire.

Kim ducked outside of the vehicle, a shot whizzing over her head. Shego rolled her eyes, knowing that the previous world hero wasn't completely invincible, especially to extremely fast flying pieces of metal, and rolled down the passenger window, "Coming?"

"But that is stolen pr-" A shot ricochet off the top of the car and there was no hesitation from the younger woman.

Before the door was even closed, Shego slammed it into gear and sped over the curb and down the highway, accelerating well over the limit. The alarm the vehicle was emitting was attracting all kinds of attention. All of it being the worst kind.

"Slow down! You already have one ticket and you might hurt somebody," Kim clipped in her seatbelt and righted herself within the seat.

"Now you're my mother? Does it ever end?" She didn't listen to the advice, speeding up instead of slowing down. They would be on her ass if she didn't hurry up. "We have one quick stop to make before we go home, anyways. Well, two. Long night ahead. "

"What are you talking about? Just drop me off at the airport. I need to get back home."

"Sorry, Cupcake. They are out looking for the both of us so it would be smartest to lay low for a while. This city will be watched for the next little while. We'll be in Las Vegas before they even know we left."

"Las Vegas? That's hours away! Plus, how would I get there? Just take me to the airport now and we'll be done with this."

"No can do, Kimmie. I'm heading that way tomorrow so you can just hitch a ride." As she finished, shots rang out against the back end of the vehicle. "See? That could be your not so bulletproof body. Now hold on tight, it's about to get fun." She shifted gears, speeding up once more, expertly weaving through the thinning traffic.

"What are you doing? You're going to get us both killed!" Kim's voice was full of panic. Sure she had been in criminal chases before, she had even been driving with rockets attached so many years ago, but this was a whole new level of extreme! This city was so much bigger and there were so many other cars and lives involved.

"Awe, Pumpkin. S'alright. I'll get us home safe and sound," her voice was heavy with sarcasm as she turned the wheel ever so slightly left before jerking it right, successfully drifting around the corner and into traffic.

"That light was red!" A few more bullets hit the back of the vehicle, several shattering the back window into a spider web of cracks.

"The people behind us have guns. Big scary guns that might just rip us to shreds if we don't hurry," She looked down at the clock on the dash. The faintly glowing numbers showed that she had a small time frame. "We've got three minutes to ditch these losers. It's about to get hairy."

Shego was going well over the limit as she drifted around a second corner, successfully heading back to where Kim had met up with her.

"Where are you going? The guys with guns are back this way along with the police. This is not looking so good for you."

"How stupid do you think I am?" Shego scoffed, swerving around expertly through traffic and through another red light, "The guys with the guns are following us. The gunfire obviously drew the cops out of that area and they are following them so all I have to do is cut the chain between me and everyone else."

"And how do you plan to do that?" Kim crossed her arms, giving Shego a sceptical look. She was less than confident about her plan.

"With that," She nodded straight ahead at flashing red lights.

"You've got to be kidding me!"  
"Hold on tight, Princess!"

Shego swerved around the long lines of stopped cars and into the desolate oncoming traffic lane. She only had a small window of opportunity and she had to act now.

She slammed down harder on the gas than ever before as a train horn sounded to her left, closer than reasonably possible. Cars were honking to her right, either at her stupidity or encouraging her on. Shots rang out against the back of her vehicle, danger presenting itself from both sides. A smirk graced her lips at the unbelievable danger she had just gotten herself _and _Kimmie into. It was the most amazing feeling in the world.

The rest of the world felt as if it was moving in slow motion. The front wheels of the car hit the tracks just as the front of the train came over the edge of the highway and towards the car. The blinding light from the train's lamp shone straight into the vehicle for milliseconds as the back tires sped over the tracks and the train passed by behind, inches away from the holey rear of the vehicle. The train's horn continued ripping through the air, even as she was speeding well away from it.

"Now THAT was exciting! How bout you, Kimmie? Still too well rested?" Her adrenaline was pumping on full as she peered through the rearview mirror, through the maze of fine cracks and to the train passing over the road, her face lit up with pure thrill. "Princess?"

She looked over to a terrified form clinging to her seat. "I saw my life flash before my eyes. Don't you _ever _do that again."

"What's the matter, Pumpkin? Here I thought you lived for the thrill but your face _clearly _says the opposite. Guess someone else has been taking it a little too easy," Shego laughed as she lifted her foot off the gas ever so lightly, leaving the men with guns and cops behind a thick, fast moving barricade.

Kim couldn't relax, not realizing what she had gotten herself into. Sure she had done a lot of dangerous, death defying things in her life but this was not just any form of hazard. Shego was at the wheel of her life. Quite literally.

* * *

Shego parked the stolen car behind the building she called her living quarters and proceeded to the door, a somewhat calmer Kim in tow. After they had lost their pursuers, Shego had gone back to her previous mode of transportation and retrieved a bulletproof suitcase looking thing. Kim had questioned the case, but the older woman only mumbled something about the last of her malleable assets, leaving Kim still quite confused.

They had made another stop at some butcher shop in the middle of the low end of town, the car sticking out worse than a tattered dress made of diamonds in a pawn shop. Shego had left Kim in the car, saying she would be quick. Kim knew better than to leave her alone, but after the events not half an hour earlier, she figured it might be easier to stay as uninvolved as she possibly could.

Shego took the suitcase with her and just as she said, returned minutes later with a small black object in her hand. Again, Kim questioned her antics about stealing something, Shego scoffing at her and telling her this was nowhere near a five finger discount.

"Just what have you gotten yourself into after all these years?" Kim tried as the older woman opened the door without keys, "You don't even lock your door."

The green and black clad woman smirked, "There is nothing of any value in the house." She went straight into the shadows, leaving Kim on the doorstep.

"You don't pay electrical bills, then?"

Lights flicked on, blinding the redhead momentarily.

"That would be just stupid. The idiot who built this house didn't put any of the switches in the right places. All of the lights are outside of the rooms, aside from the main light, which just happens to be on the other side of the room."

Kim blinked, eyes adjusting to the bright lights.

"Make yourself at home. Not much here in the way of 'homey comforts', but whatever. Spare sleeping clothes are in the top drawer and you can sleep in the bed. Get as much sleep as you can 'cause the morning come bright and early, Pumpkin."

Kim quickly gazed around the room to find Shego was telling the truth. It was quite bare for anyone to really live in; practically a room with four walls and table.

The older woman turned to leave but was stopped by a forceful voice, "Where do you think you're going?" Shego turned, an eyebrow raised at Kim's demand. "I'm pretty sure you just stole that car from the mafia. You traded in who knows what for some other random item. You kidnapped me and are willing to take me to Las Vegas. You've been pretty much considered dead for four and a half years, just showing up in San Francisco."

A smirk grew on the older woman's face at the rant, but it did nothing to mask the hinting sadness in her eyes.

"I could understand all this if you were still in the criminal business, but this looks nothing like that to me! What got into you that separated you from your old line of work so abruptly? Why are you acting so shady now?" She crossed her arms and looked questioningly at her opponent, "I used to know you so well and now I can't make heads or tails of the situation."

Shego chuckled, rolling her eyes and waving as she turned her back, "I need to get a bit of work done. If you're going to drill me with questions, at least let me keep my hands busy."

Kim followed Shego out of the house, still in a huff. She was led to an adjoining garage that had its own locking system that needed an actual code over 16 numerals long. Kim raised an eyebrow as the garaged doors were raised revealing a very new looking car along with the space for two or three more, "I thought you knew nothing about the cars going through town with this much work done."

She shrugged, removing her gloves as she walked to the side of the car and popped the hood. There were a few things that she would need to do if she were to make it all the way to Vegas tomorrow. She began tweaking the engine, working on some of the simpler things first. This baby just hadn't been out in a little while.

Kim entered the room almost cautiously, looking around at all the different parts hanging from the walls or scattered along the shelves, "So you've started up street racing? What good has that gotten you?"

The woman stiffened slightly in her work. She knew she'd never get praise from her sworn enemy but something about the belittling of her work irritated her. "Hey, if you don't like what you see, you are more than welcome to go back to the house."

"No it's just…" she paused, looking for the correct word, "Interesting."

"Interesting? How the hell do you draw that conclusion, Princess?" She looked up from her engine momentarily, watching the other woman's face.

"I just never thought that you would be into something like this, I guess. It's just surprising that you're working with cars for some kind of underground race instead of your usual villainy," She ran her finger along a pipe, checking the dust, "It seems wrong somehow."

Shego smirked, returning to her work. So, the redhead still had good deduction skills, but that was to be expected, "What can I say? I gotta keep myself entertained somehow."

It was Kim's turn to smirk, looking at a once-enemy buried deep in her work, "And after all this time, I though that our sparring matches kept you satisfied. You make it sound like it was me who lost her touch."

"Nah. You never lost it, Kimmie."

"If I never lost my touch, then why did you just up and leave without even a goodbye match, giving all you got or something cliché like that?"

The older woman shrugged, but it never caught the redhead's eye. It filled the air with an almost awkward silence.

"By the way," Kim sounded, breaking the silence with stiff confidence, "I never got around to it because you left abruptly and everything," She took a deep breath, "But I'm sorry."

Shego knew what Kimmie was talking about but she had to play stupid for her own sake, "Excuse me?"

She should have looked up and made it a little more believable, but she was fiddling with a particularly tough bolt that made for a perfect distraction.

"I'm pretty sure you remember the last time we fought. I kicked you into the electrical tower and it collapsed. That was a little overkill and I'm sorry for that."

The bolt Shego had been handling dropped down into the car as she hissed a few choice words before she leaned rigidly against her vehicle. She could never prepare herself enough for those words.

A few tense seconds of silence passed between the two, "Shego?"

"And here I thought you hated me," she played it off with her infamous sarcastic tone.

Kim picked up a tool that was lying on the counter and began to toy with it, "To tell you the truth, I did at the time. I had so much to deal with and the easiest outlet was just to take it out on you because you were my enemy. I remember looking down at the rubble beneath and feeling like I had finally defeated my greatest opponent but then I realized that it wasn't really a success.

"You were far down below, buried beneath an impossible amount of rubble and I was standing on top of a building. That's not how you win a war and feel good about it. I should have defeated you by my own hands. Over the next few weeks I felt guiltier and guiltier and went to the prison to apologize. Low and behold, you weren't there but I should have expected that. You were never one to stay still. Seems you still aren't."

Shego stood stiffly grip against edge of the car, "And you're telling me all of this now because your guilt made you feel _obligated _to do so?"

"Well…" Kim paused, again seeming to think of the right words to use. The green and black clad warrior tightened her grip as if it was the only thing keeping her stabilized. "I feel that something has changed between us."

The older woman snorted, voice dripping with her usual sarcastic tone, "_No. _I don't know what you could _possibly _be talking about."

"I'm not talking about the time spent apart. Even today in the alley you didn't want to fight me and it didn't seem like you were being lazy about it. Something just seemed to… distract you. I just wonder what it is that could have happened for you to back down from something that you used to love."

"I plan to fix that," the older female muttered more to herself than anything.

"By street racing?"

Her fist slammed down on the edge of the car, "In this particular case, yes. It's the only way I can get everything I need fast."

"What happened to robbery?"

The dull pain throbbed through her once more as she growled and faced the younger woman, "If I'm going to even _think _about telling you anything, I need a truce until we get to Vegas. You won't alert anyone, you won't send anyone after me and you _will not _stop me with your own hands, got it?"

Kim replaced the tool and leaned back against the counter, crossing her arms over her chest, "And if I decline?"

"Fine. Then you have no more purpose in here, do you?"

Kim watched her for a moment, her hero complex fighting with the prospect of having knowledge. Finally, one side beat over the other.

She pushed herself off and stalked out of the garage and back to the house.

Shego sniffed, turning back to her work, "Figures."

The night carried on after that, Shego continuing with her mechanical work while Kim went to try and catch some rest.

To her, it was a little strange sleeping in her archenemy's bed. The idea of spending a night in the residence of her opponent was a stupid idea, let alone inside her actual sleeping quarters. Shego never returned that night like she said she was going to which should have relieved Kim, yet sadly it did not. Should she not feel good that her nemesis was outside and not coming back to possibly take her by surprise?

* * *

A few restless hours later the sun began to peek over the edge of the mountains in the far east, casting a golden glow over everything. Shego was covered in grease and desperately needed a shower but the sight kept her where she stood. The coffee in her hands was still scalding hot in contrast with the cool, early autumn morning as she slowly watched the sun creep upwards.

"God, I hate mornings."

"You never did seem a morning person to me."

Shego chucked, not surprised by her visitor, "I see that you are, though," The conflict hours before was not forgotten but it was something that needed to be overlooked for the time being if they were to make it to Las Vegas together.

She looked over to see Kim still dressed in yesterday's clothes, now quite a bit more wrinkled with the attempt of sleep. The slightly darker circles under her eyes told her that she didn't get very much, anyways.

"Coffee's in the shop if you're looking," she nodded behind her.

Kim hummed her response and shuffled into the messy space, stretching. She returned seconds later with a steaming cup, looking a little more awake. "You didn't sleep last night?"

"By the looks of it, you didn't either."

The redhead grimaced, "Is it really that obvious?"

"Clothes. Circles under the eyes. It's not like you tried to hide it, Pumpkin."

Kim didn't respond, only taking a sip of her coffee.

"If you want a shower before we leave, I suggest you make it quick. I need one as well and my trip is _much_ longer than yours."

A fine red eyebrow was raised but went ignored as Shego finished her coffee, closed the hood of her car and headed for the house. Kim sighed, not expecting much of a response and followed the other woman inside.

"We're relatively the same size so you can just borrow some of my clothes, Kimmie. No need to return to wherever smelling like you've been stuck in cage for a week."

Kim looked slightly offended, "You telling me I stink?"

Shego chuckled, deciding not to taunt her this time, "No, but you will after wearing the same clothing for two days straight. A long ride in a car doesn't help the situation much either."

"No sightseeing on the way back?"

"Have you never driven across the countryside?"

Kim looked thoughtful before she answered. Truth be told, she had never actually just taken a drive for the sake of admiring the sights. Sure, she had been all over the world in her teen years, but it was always for business. She was always too focused on the next mission to really take in much of the scenery. "You know what? I really haven't."

Shego looked almost offended, "You've never even taken a long road trip to just drive for pleasure?"

Kim shook her head. She just never had the time.

Shego uttered things under her breath, grabbing Kim's wrist and marching off towards her room. She opened several drawers and threw a few pairs of undergarments, slightly faded black jeans and a light blue tank into the latter's arms, ignoring the resisting groan Kim was emitting.

Shego pointed to the ensuite, "Go shower. We have a lot of ground to cover today."

"But-"

"Nuh uh. No buts. I'm the driver of this trip and you will listen to what I say," she tried to make herself sound demanding but it just wasn't there.

"Who's the mother now?" Kim taunted as she walked by the older woman and shut the door before she could answer.

Shego growled and went back to her closet, finding her clothes for the trip; a pair of black jeans and a green sleeveless tee-shirt with black accents down the sides. She thought about wearing her usual getup, and as comfortable as it was, she just didn't feel like wearing it for the next couple of days. It had been a while since she had gone casual anyways.

She glanced back at the ensuite door, unsure of how long Kim was going to be, and left to get herself another cup of coffee. It was gonna be one hell of a couple days.

* * *

The sun was now completely above the mountainous horizon, signaling the perfect time to leave.

"C'mon, Pumpkin! We're burning precious daylight here!" Shego called out her door while attempting to install the package she had picked up the night before. It was a quick set up on the dash, but she couldn't get the damn thing to stay put.

The passenger door opened and a body climbed in, "I had to make sure that I had all my clothes… What are you doing?"

"Setting up a Christmas tree. What does it look like I'm doing?" Shego growled in frustration, unable to keep the piece mounted in position. Several more seconds of fumbling unsuccessfully and she gave up, tossing the thing onto Kim's lap. "Here. Read what it tells you and tell me where I need to go."

She shut her own door and started the car in one move, already setting the thing in gear. Seemed she couldn't quite keep her patience together.

Amazingly enough, Kim complied with little resistance, "Nob Hill. There's some kind of timer below it. Two minutes, sixteen seconds and dropping."

"Get ready for the best ride of your life, Princess."

Shego was already picking up speed on the low traffic roadways, turning corners and racing through reds. The redhead sighed, "Is it going to be like this the entire way?"

"Like this? You wait until we hit the mountains. Nothing like this, Kimmie. A lot less lights and a lot more corners." She never took her eyes from the road, finally on what appeared to be the main roadway. Several other cars had joined them in the high speed chase to Nob Hill.

Kim observed several other drivers who were just as reckless, "I see you're not the only one who has a great track record."

"Ah, but _I_ am the best," the usual smugness was missing from the statement, as if she had clearly stated a fact. She swerved around several non-racing vehicles as if to prove a point.

"You sound so sure of yourself."

Shego smirked, "I am."

Several drifted corners later, with instructions given, the car was tearing down Nob Hill. The other racers who thought they could keep up with Shego's driving skill were largely mistaken as they had been lost behind her long ago. She was gaining on the next wave.

Kim was, once again, the one to start conversation, "So, how do they know that you actually start and go through the places you have to?"

"Traffic cameras placed all along the route. That, and the fact that the little GPS thingy has some sort of tracker in it. Gotta make sure no one cheats when the stakes are this high."

"How do you know all of this?"

"Sorry, Pumpkin. That's confidential."

A man's voice over the radio stopped Kim from probing any farther,_ "Unit three-oh-four here. There are a large number of exotic cars heading through the Nob Hill area. Is there a ten twenty-two scheduled?"_

"_Negative. How many cars?" _

"_I got about fifty or so. More rolling in by the minute."_

"_Coordinating units. Standby."_

"_Put in back-up as soon as you can. This is definitely some kind of street race."_

"_Multiple units falling in as we speak."_

"_Copy that."_

"Fifty and counting? Just how big is this race, Shego?" Kim turned her head, slightly disapproving.

She shrugged, "Three hundred, give or take. Don't worry, though. A good portion won't make it out of the city."

"Three _hundred_? How do you find that many people to get involved in a race?"

"I'm telling you, if you offer enough, you lure them in faster than a starving shark to freshly spilled blood."

Again, they were interrupted, _"Alpha two seventeen, you might want to send in more units. We're outnumbered at least twenty to one."_

"_Copy that. Sending in everyone I can. Standby."_

"This is getting crazy. The fact that I'm involved in this is not helping the situation," Kim looked forwards as police vehicles crossed their paths, several pulled off to the side in an attempt to stop some traffic.

"C'mon, Princess! Live a little! This is just getting exciting. Just wait till they start setting up blocks." Several lights were ignored as she fought to overtake a few more opponents.

"_Where the hell are all these guys coming from? I want all major roadways to the city shut down! Go to the nearest major intersection and stop all traffic. I repeat, stop all traffic."_

"This could pose a little bit of a problem."

"Nah. Remember who's driving, now."

"_Code sixes are taking over the city! I need traffic control now!" _

"_Sending in more cruisers."_

"How do you plan to get out of the city?"

"There's only one way off of an island, Princess."

"The bridge? But it's under construction!"

"Believe me, easiest way to avoid the cops."

"Won't it damage the car?"

"Please! The amount of money I put into this thing, it's tank-proof!"

"_Unit's stand by. I've got a code six with a radio in his vehicle. Keep all positions off the air."_

"_Copy that."_

"HIS vehicle? Excuse me!" She growled at the stereo, "I am NOT a he!"

She released the gas slightly as she entered the inclined curve that led to the bridge. There were a couple police cars behind her demanding she pull over with their speakers.

Shego snorted, amused by their worthless attempts and hit the gas hard once they were on the straight stretch. As expected, the police were lost behind her.

"Great. After this, I'm going to be a wanted criminal."

"Trust me on this one. You'll be out of here before they can identify the driver, let alone the passenger. As much as it pains me to admit it, you're safe with me."

"Passing vehicles going nearly one hundred sixty miles an hour hardly counts as safe."

"I'm talking the long run. Just relax and enjoy the scenery."

"Before I have the chance to _observe_ the scenery, it goes ripping by me."

"You're right. Not much to see on a bridge. The mountains will look much more beautiful."

"This speed through mountains is going to get us killed."

"Hello? Tank-proof? Scratch resistant paint also helps."

"_Unit six-oh-three . Ten fifty nine in place. City is officially on hold."_

"_Copy that. Round 'em up, boys."_

A grin, bordering on the edge of insane, crept onto Shego's face. Sadly for Kim, it didn't go unnoticed.

"You're not planning to ram the blockade, are you?"

The smile stayed in place, "Of course not. The car may be next to indestructible but the people inside aren't. We're just going to take a little detour."

Kim watched as the bridge split off just up ahead, veering into empty traffic lanes. There were cones and other useless objects blocking the highway, warning traffic not to enter the construction zone. The police blockade was set up on the actual running traffic lanes below the developing overpass.

Shego, not daring to get entangled with the police, swerved onto the overpass and through the signs placed 'in the way'. If even possible, her grin grew as the voices took over the radio once more.

"_I've got green and black M3 out of control! Hold position, hold position!"_

"Not even," The older woman muttered to herself, speeding over the half finished overpass, successfully launching the car off the end of a two storey cement cliff.

Kim hadn't the time to suck in a breath before the car catapulted over the end, landing with a heavy thud on the actual freeway below. Had her teeth not been clenched, she would have bitten off her tongue from the force of the car slamming to the asphalt.

The tires skidded as they absorbed the blow and continued to pull the hunk of metal forward, everyone else left in the dust. From there, it was to the freeway and then the serpentine trip to the city of sin.


	2. Chapter 2

**Outside San Francisco City Limits/Yosemite National Park**

Shego was leaning against the car, one arm propping her up, the other holding down the gas pump. Kim was out, stretching her stiff limbs after the hectic drive. They had passed an astonishing amount of people and left them far enough behind that they didn't need to worry for the most part. The only problem with stopping now would be catching up to the next wave of racers.

"Hey, Princess, mind getting something to eat? Nothing that could muck up the interior too badly," her voice carried the sarcastic tone as she reached into her back pocket and withdrew a fifty.

In the middle of her stretch, Kim paused to raise an eyebrow at Shego, "What? No stealing this time?"

The older woman just rolled her eyes, before exasperatedly answering, "I don't steal everything, Pumpkin."

Kim sniffed, "Really? Last time I remember, there wasn't a thing you _didn't _steal. All those years when you were the villain. The mafia car, if you want to get more recent."

Shego stared at the redhead, wearing her infamous smirk, "I stole back then because it pissed you off. And when you were pissed off, you came back a more willful fighter. Must say I enjoyed it much more when the fights lasted longer than a couple minutes."

"Sure that's the only reason?"

"Well, your pissed off face _was _a turn on."

Kim made an annoyed noise before ripping the bill from the taller woman's hand and trudging off into the store. Shego just watched her go and chuckled. Oh, the joys of messing with Kimmie.

As she watched her disappear into the store, she thought about the other girl's presence. Sure, her glorified hero complex was kind of infuriating, but, ironically, that's what made it bearable. Banter was always in place and it kept both women on their toes. It added excitement to the otherwise boring silence of filling up a vehicle.

On the other hand, she wouldn't be here right now, filling up her gas tank for some underground cross country race, if Kimmie didn't have said complex. Her expression darkened as repressed thoughts surfaced again. Several minutes passed as the gas flowed into the tank and she tried suppressing her wandering mind. She had done enough of that over the years.

She sighed right as the pump clicked, signaling her time to leave. To her luck, Kim had left the store with a handful of snack items all fully paid for and was heading for the vehicle at that moment.

Shego slowly put the gas cap back on and replaced the pump, letting Kim fully get into the vehicle. With a quick glance to see that the man at the register was occupied, she stepped forward with enough force to slide her body over the hood of the car and jump into the driver seat.

The man in the store had unfortunately taken notice right at that moment and was trying to make his way outside, obviously screaming some profanity and shaking his fists. Shego just smirked, starting the car and throwing it into gear in one movement. The tires screeched as she peeled away, leaving a very angry looking man far behind.

Kim sighed, without looking at Shego, "You didn't pay, did you?"

She grinned, resuming speed along the twisting road, "Nope."

"I thought you didn't steal everything," the redhead stated quite blandly.

"I don't. I paid for the stuff you have. A tank of gas, well, that's a little pricy," she was nonchalant about it, uncaring for the consequences.

"What about all the money you made working for Dr. Drakken? Sure took a lot of expensive vacations on that payroll," Kim's inquire was as accusative as it was curious.

"How much money do you have left from those snacks?"

"Don't deflect! I'm ask-"

She was effectively cut off by icy words, "_How much is left?_"

Kim looked down at her hand, counting it out, "Thirty eight thirty two."

"That is how much I have left," Shego deadpanned.

Kim gave her a blank stare, not completely sure she understood, "The money in my hand is the last of everything you ever had?"

Shego only nodded, seeming to concentrate on the road snaking out before her.

Kim's eyes grew wide, "I'm so sorry for spending it! Why did you let me if there's nothing else?"

She shrugged, "What was I gonna do with it? Might as well get something to eat. Next stop we can get something to drink."

"No gas?"

Shego looked over and gave her a 'what the hell do you think' stare. Kim didn't look happy with the prospect of stealing yet another tank.

"So, if this is all you have left, what happened to the rest?" Her voice was quiet, hesitant about the tone of answer she was going to receive.

"Do you really want to know?" There was no anger or snippy response; if anything, she sounded weary.

Kim didn't need time to think about it, "Yes."

Shego sighed, navigating a series of turns quite professionally, "Cars, parts, races, apartments, hotels," she smirked, "gambling, booze, hookers…"

A fine red eyebrow rose at the last few, but otherwise she got the just of it. She could understand that this was a sensitive topic and should tread as lightly as possible. If Shego decided not to answer, that was her choice, even if she would end up disappointed, "Why did you put so much into all of that?"

"It all leads up to this race, Kimmie. This is one of the biggest races and it was a huge gamble. It's all or nothing now."

The younger woman began putting the pieces together. Each of the exotic cars was one of the participants in the race, each one betting on the big pot. Two hundred, fifty thousand from each one of them and there were over three hundred racers.

She dared to ask, "So, how big is this pot?"

The older woman smirked, knowing the hero had figured it out, albeit given a little prodding, "Twenty five million."

Kim spluttered, "Twenty five _million_? In one race? What are you going to do with that? Continue street racing? Go on vacation for the rest of your life? _Buy _the vacationing spot?"

She instantly realized her carelessness when Shego's eyes darkened once more. They hadn't done that since the night she refused to work with Shego on the way to Vegas just because of her own complex. Still, did she really have a reason to be so secretive?

"Nothing so special, Princess," Her words tasted bitter in her own mouth.

The redhead's attention returned back to the world, dwelling on her obvious slip of the tongue, completely forgetting the acquired snacks for the moment.

* * *

**Outside Death Valley National Park**

"You just had to pick the ones that would make a mess, didn't you?" Her voice was more teasing than scornful and that helped ease the uncomfortable silence between them.

"Hey! I like these chips. You told me to pick something, so I did."

"Obviously the ones that leave crumbs _everywhere_. Just look at this mess! I'll be cleaning it out for days!" Shego's voice was heavy with dramatics.

"It's not that bad. Plus, I like to piss you off, too. That expression is just so damn sexy when you look ready to punch my face in," her voice was laced with sarcasm, mimicking the words used against her hours earlier.

Shego placed a hand on her chest, "How heartwarming. I almost feel honored. Almost. Now, you fill up the tank while I go drain it."

Kim gave her a somewhat appalled look, "You don't mind using the same toilet as everyone else?"

The older woman gave her a strange look before she burst into laughter. It was Kim's turn for a funny look before Shego calmed down, "Fuck no! I'd rather use the bushes behind the damn place, and I will. I'll get the drinks too, and all within record time so don't get your panties in a knot." She turned, stalking towards the side of the building, obviously relieving herself first.

The redhead could only shake her head, not believing the arrogance that woman portrayed sometimes. Sure, it was agitating, but there was something about it she couldn't get enough of. It was like a drug; really bad but really addicting. She hadn't realized it, but she had missed it quite a bit while Shego MIA.

Before she had any more time to ponder things, the pump clicked. Indeed the tank was full but that only proved that she and Shego had spent more time bickering than previously thought.

As she replaced the nozzle, a thought entered her head. Shego was giving her a ride to an entirely different city, absolutely costless, probably due to the fact that she was spending barely any herself. Why not show an act of kindness and fill her tank? It would help speed things along and they wouldn't be seen as criminals at this place.

Without thinking this through much further, she walked into the store and began to pay for the gas. Halfway through the payment, she and the man behind the counter were startled by the slamming of a door. Both heads snapped towards the entrance, seeing a very irate woman.

"What do you think you're _doing!_" Shego seethed, looking ready to rip them both to shreds.

"Paying for the tank of gas. Is there a problem?" A red eyebrow was quirked, slightly bemused at the other woman's antics.

"Damn straight there is! I told you to wait by the car and be ready to leave!"

"And I thought I'd pay for your tank of gas. You are taking me across the country and all."

"I don't need any help with that! You've_ helped_ enough as it is!" The older woman's glare could have destroyed civilizations and killed armies.

Kim threw her hands up, annoyed, "It's a tank of gas! Why are you getting so worked up over it?"

Shego stared daggers before shoving off the argument and grabbing several bottles of energy drinks, "What do you want to drink?"

The younger woman was taken aback for a few seconds, an irritated voice snapping bring her back, "Hello? Burning time here!"

"Uh, Coke please."

When she was finished picking up a bottle of the preferred drink, she went to the counter and dropped all the bottles. The man just gave her a wary glace, "Well? You gonna charge me for it?"

As he quickly and silently did as she demanded, she forced the Coke towards Kim, "Go back to the car."

At this point in time, she wasn't about to argue. She saw the startled man rushing clumsily though his work and decided it was probably not in her best interest to start anything new. So, she did as she was told.

When Shego got back to her vehicle, she dumped the bottles into the back, save for one, drinking it all immediately. Without a second though, she chucked it out the open window and left the gas station.

Kim could feel that the air was tensing again and broke it before it could become something too unbearable, "When's the last time you got a decent amount of sleep?"

"Huh?" the taller woman seemed genuinely caught off guard by the question.

"Sleep. When's the last time you got lots of it?"

"How much do you consider 'decent'?" The older woman grumbled.

"Eight hours."

For a good moment, Shego focused on the road ahead of her, mapping the desert terrain with her eyes. She answered quietly, "It's been a while."

"Too busy with the late night races?"

Again, she hesitated, "Sort of."

The truth of the matter was she hadn't slept well since she had been kicked into the tower years ago. It wasn't the incident that was resting uneasily with her; it was the repercussions.

Kim knew there was more to her story than she was revealing, but at this point in time, it was probably better to just drop it.

"When this race is over, I think you should take a nice long vacation somewhere exotic. Catch up on some of that missing sleep."

The conversation was let go for the time being; Kim didn't see the small, sad smile grace Shego's features as she watched the orange desert landscape whip by.

* * *

**Outside Las Vegas City Limits**

The last gas station outside of Las Vegas' city limits was quickly approaching and both of them knew it. It was the beginning of the end of their journey together. The sun was half swallowed up by the horizon, casting everything in an indistinguishable orange glow, sending everything it touched into a surreal haze.

"Well, Kimmie, last stop before you get out at the airport. Which, by the way, I'm not stopping at. There are sure to be piggies swarming the city so I'll slow down long enough for you to roll out. The route I'm supposed to take is a few blocks from it so you'll just have to walk."

"You're going to make me jump out of a moving vehicle?" Kim gave her a sceptical look.

Shego brushed it off, shrugging her shoulders, "You've done worse stunts before. This'll be a piece of cake."

Kim rationalized, "It's not the jumping I'm worried about. If they see me jumping from a speeding vehicle that isn't going to stop, they're probably going to arrest me for looking like a convict."

"What, your pretty little face can't get you out of this one?" the older woman taunted, layering on the fake sweetness, "I'm sure you've saved the world enough times that they remember you."

Kim stared at the unbending road ahead of her, "I dropped out of the hero business years ago."

"You _what_?" Shego's voice was surprised, if not a little angry, gaping at the woman in the seat next to her, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"It really wasn't my choice. With you gone, Drakken only attempted to take over the world a couple more times before he pursued other things. I guess beating him before he even had a chance to reveal his secret plan put his mojo off. The other villains caught wind of the speed at which he was being defeated so they stepped down too, as unlikely as that seems. With all that extra time, I just poured myself into my studies-"

She quickly cut her off, "Ah-buh-buh-buh! They all just _stopped_ because Dr. D figured out that he couldn't take care of himself?"

The redhead didn't seem to mind the interruption, "I guess so."

"So you and that buffoon just sat around with nothing better to do?"

"It wasn't easy at first, but with graduation just around the corner, we kind of had to. Ron studied to become a chef and mastered it in two years_, _before taking another study up in a Japanese school. We kept in touch for the first little while but it slowly came to a stop. And here I am now, racing towards Las Vegas with a wanted criminal," It seemed she did little to stop the unhappiness leaking into her voice towards the end.

Shego had been meaning to interrupt with a statement about not wanting to hear it, but something kept her mouth shut until now, "Yeah, I'm not too thrilled about you in my vehicle, either." Her tone carried hollow disdain.

Kim scoffed, either oblivious or indifferent to her tone, "That's how I felt, too. But the more I thought about it, the more I liked the thrill of the danger. It's been awhile since anything remotely close to this exciting has happened," she looked slightly to the side, embarrassed, "and I kind of like it."

Shego swerved around several cars in the multi-lane highway, a small grin on her face, "Welcome to the dark side, Princess. Apparently, we have cookies."

The younger woman cracked a smile, despite herself, "Are they chocolate chip?"

"You know it."

An easy silence set over the pair for the moment, as Shego easily drove through the maze of cars going slower than she was. Up ahead, a small building could be seen perched on the side of the road. The car advanced on it quickly, reaching it in less than a minute.

Shego, once again, leaned against the vehicle, filling it up as Kim stretched. Even if it was early autumn, the slowly changing season did nothing to help the pressing heat of the fading desert sun. The taller woman wiped her brow with her forearm before the other spoke up, "Want anything?"

"Just a bottle of cold water."

"I'll make sure it's nice and warm."

Shego chuckled as two of the racers she had recently passed pulled into the pump opposite her and removed themselves from their vehicles. Strangely, both were female. She shrugged it off as the redhead returned before the car was even full.

"Getting faster at this, I see," She quipped before catching a thrown bottle just above her head.

"You're just getting slower, old woman." She took a long drink of the cool liquid, in an attempt to ward off the boiling temperature.

"Ha. Old women can't drive the way I can, Cupcake." She managed to open to bottle with one hand, taking a couple of swigs from it. The icy temperature burned her throat on the way down, forcing her to slow down a little bit.

The pump clicked in due time and the car was back on the road just as the sun disappeared behind the mountains.

* * *

Shego sped through the urban area of Las Vegas quickly catching up to a new wave of racers. As good as that was, the police had also caught wind of many speeding vehicles through the area and were pursuing her faster than she would have liked to admit.

"Hold on, Princess. This is about to get crazy," The woman drifted in such a way around the corner, she didn't need to straighten out her vehicle for the next one. Beside her, one of the other racers had met their fate against a couple police cars. The same thing happened just ahead.

"Wow, they're dropping like flies," she grunted again.

A man's voice took over the radio, filling them in on the chase they were taking part in. Sadly, they were calling in everyone to close off the city and in a place this big, it was almost certain that everyone would end up caught and all the racers behind them would be paralyzed for the rest of the race.

Kim chose to not comment on the illegal race, instead filling Shego in on which roads to take if she was going to hit the cameras to verify that she had made it to Las Vegas. It was a lot easier said than done.

Shego swerved around three blockades, rendering everyone else in her particular wave done. It was only her now and the several cops trying to bring her speeding to an end.

The taller woman checked her rear view mirror, smirking at the amount of attention she had generated.

"Just loving this, aren't you?"

"What's not to love? Who doesn't want people chasing them down, begging them to give themselves up?" The tone suggested this wasn't really about a police chase.

"I'm pretty sure they're demanding, not begging."

"Same thing, different tone."

Kim sighed at the impossible woman, "Turn right up ahead."

Several more blockades had been posted up ahead, Shego dodging around each of them as if it were a casual thing. It was now that Kim noticed the road was completely devoid of any other traffic, which was strange in a city this big. Obviously, they knew about the street racers coming through and were here to put a stop to it.

A few more minutes of sirens, stupid fast corners and avoidance and they had made it to a much more dead area of town. For the stereotypical Vegas, it lacked casino's lining the streets which should have been filled with people. No, this had warehouses or back entrances to whatever establishment was placed there. Even so, it was multi-lane.

"Fuck."

Kim was snapped out of her observation as Shego slammed on the brakes, stopping rather abruptly before a row of four police cars, with no way to get through. The officers behind her cut her off quickly with no other chances of escape.

"Let them take you. When the opportunity presents itself, fight them off and run. Play nice until then."

The redhead was about to question Shego's spineless behavior but never got the chance as she removed herself from the vehicle, palms forward. She was quick to follow suit, not wanting to startle the already angered police members.

"He… er, she's out of the car!"

"There are two of them!"

"Stand down! Stand down!" There were six of them, guns pointed and ready to use, but there was one guy shouting directions at them in particular, "Get on your knees and put your hands behind your heads! Do it now!"

Out of the corner of her eye, the younger girl watched as Shego complied with no resistance whatsoever, absolutely expressionless. Kim copied her but couldn't help this feeling bubbling in the pit of her stomach. What had happened to that defiant woman who listened to nobody? So full of pride she would never bow down to anyone, let alone someone as low as government police officers? What happened to the fierce fighter she once knew? Obviously, this woman wasn't the same person.

The officer that grabbed Shego forced her arm in such a way, making her face twist into withheld pain as she was heaved from the ground. Her jaw was clenched and her eyes sharp as she tried hard not to lash out at her captors.

"Hey! I thought I told you to get _down!_" The man emphasized the word as he slammed her onto the hood of the car. One hand had been free, blocking some of the force, but not enough to keep her from growling in undisclosed pain. The only unfair part about this was that she couldn't really stay down if he had forced her to walk, stumble really, to the front of the vehicle.

Kim had fared no better as she was thrown against the hood on the opposite side.

And just like Shego had predicted, the opportunity came. The two racers who had stopped at the gas station just after her, ripped around the corner, not hitting one vehicle. Obviously, they knew what was up ahead.

"Get back! Code sixes coming through!"

Several of the officers scattered, a couple smart enough to jump into their vehicles to continue the chase.

"I'm good here! Go!" Shego's officer obviously thought he knew what he was handling, sending everyone off except Kim's officer and a third who was already over the radio in a second police cruiser. The alert could be heard in the car as Shego began her assault.

His first mistake was allowing her to have an arm free, for that's all she needed for a simple escape. She pushed herself backwards, slowly gaining on the officer before slamming her head back and into his, dazing him momentarily. She took advantage of it quickly, spinning and driving her elbow into his gut and shoving him to the asphalt.

The redhead had gotten herself free as well, sliding over the front of the cruiser and sprinting after Shego. Being the able officers that they were, they were chasing them almost immediately.

"They're running! Pursuing on foot! Send back-up!"

Both women ran, Shego slightly ahead and already setting her sights on a pile of pallets leaned up against the dirty stone wall of the ally. It was déjà vu. As she flew by the stack, she threw it to the floor, tripping up two of the three officers. Luckily, Kimmie had been far enough ahead that she hadn't been hit.

They rounded two quick corners and sprinted towards a very dead looking end. Kim's hopes dimmed as she realized she might have to fight the very people she used to work with. With each speedy step, the younger woman could see that the wall wasn't, in fact, very tall. If she ran at it and then switched her footing to run up it, it could easily be scaled.

It was obvious that Shego had done this plenty of times before as she ran up and threw herself over the edge with ease landing somewhere on the other side. While it wasn't difficult for Kim, she was much slower than an efficient Shego. Because of this little fault, the officer caught up and got hold of her ankle. She tried pulling but realized it was futile. She was going to have to do something drastic if she were to get away.

With an internal sigh and a bit of conflict, she swung her other foot up and nailed the guy in the head, knocking him away and rendering him useless. She used this moment to throw herself over the wall and land, with no grace whatsoever, on her back. As luck would have it, she wasn't allowed the time to take a breather. A growling Rottweiler charged at her, teeth bared.

The dog was on her in seconds, but she used its own weight against it, putting her hands on its chest and heaving it over her. It whined as it hit the ground some feet away. She sprung up from the ground, taking the opportunity to escape and seeing, well hearing, Shego kick in a door. As a growling sounded behind her, she took off, sprinting towards that little piece of salvation.

The older woman stepped inside before Kim jumped, sliding over the floor. Shego slammed it shut, shoving a chair in the way to keep the crazed animal out. A berserk bark could be heard as the door shook a few times, the Rottweiler still going for its prey. Thankfully, they were safe for the moment.

Kim pushed herself off the floor still trying to catch some breath. The other woman was already leaving the area, pushing ahead to get away from the police force that was sure to be on their tails. Kim hurriedly followed after her, not wanting to lose the cheats for this dangerous game.

The place they were in was a very cheap souvenir shop, catering to those who wanted some cliché memory that they had been to Vegas. Shego hustled through, paying no attention to the elevator music or the raised eyebrow from the bored looking counter girl. She ran out the door, checking for any sign of the police force.

She had checked to one side, running towards the other which was an obvious mistake. Her head snapped around, just catching the cruiser as it swerved at her in an attempt to stop a suspect. Shego had been prepared, jumping and pushing one leg off the cruiser, saving her a hospital trip.

Kim, on the other hand, had seen it coming from the beginning and had rolled out of the way, unfortunately into the middle of the highway. Against the bitter luck she had just been having, it was not a very busy night and few cars were going by. On the other hand, there was still traffic.

The redhead looked up seconds before she saw a car heading straight for her. She forced her body to roll sideways as the car blared its horn and swerved, successfully hitting the cop car angle parked in its lane. Glass spattered across the ground she laid against, digging into her palms when she moved. She looked up again to see another car racing towards her in the opposite direction. Using her legs and hands, she propelled herself backwards and onto the opposite side of the road, feeling the shards tearing into her palms.

Today she seemed to be lady luck's play thing. She watched as a car slammed on its breaks, successfully stopping just before hitting the wreck before it. The eighteen wheeler behind it was not so fortunate. Because huge trucks can't stop in time, as it seems in every good action movie, it swerved out of the way as to not harm the other cars. Its trailer, on the other hand, played in line with physics. The back end never got out of the way, causing the entire trailer to flop over and swing forwards like a giant broom on the highway.

She was on her feet in seconds, already knowing how this was all to play out. She ran as the truck slid closer, flipping one car out of the way before grinding the cruiser that had gotten wedged below it. Kim could hear the strangled sirens going off as the sickening crunch of metal and glass seemed to be chasing her down the road.

She dared a look behind her, seeing the cop car finally loosen from the metal underbelly of the truck, but that could only mean one thing. She ducked and slid on the asphalt, tearing the jeans and the delicate skin underneath. She paid no attention to that as the truck, as expected, flipped on its side barely making it over her head, missing her extended foot by inches. The sound around her was blocked out by the silence after the horrible twisting of metal. She knew lives were in danger here, but she was transfixed in her spot.

That is, until Shego yanked her up and forced her into a run down another alleyway.

* * *

**Backstreets of Las Vegas**

"I've got to hand it to you; you have this running thing pretty nailed down," Kim's voice was a little frayed.

"This was nothing, actually. Typical run-in when you have to race through the cities. That's why it's a little easier when you race through back alleyways and the parts of town nobody wants to see," she sounded a little agitated, if not a bit tired.

Kim easily kept up with her quick pace as Shego navigated though the seemingly endless maze of alleyways. She seemed to know exactly where she was going.

The younger woman lifted her palms, taking a quick look as the adrenaline began to wear off. They were sticky with fresh crimson blood, little shiny pieces sticking out in some places. She sighed, realizing how much of a pain it was going to be picking out every tiny shard. With this many punctures, there was the possibility for an infection too.

She sighed, putting them back down and trying to ignore the warmth that spread along them, "So where exactly are we headed?"

"I, Princess, am headed towards my next leg of the race. You, on the other hand, will be on your way to the airport and back home," she didn't sound so happy and it was probably because she had left so much in the other vehicle.

"How are you going to do that without a car?"

She smirked, a certain look in her eye, "You really think I'm unprepared for this?"

"Don't tell me you're going to steal again," Kim's voice was irritated, and it almost sounded like she was whining.

"Okay, I won't tell you that."

"_Shego!_"

She stopped walking, turning to her adversary, "What? You told me not to tell you that."

"Don't you think you've pissed off enough people?" Kim's voice was firm, if not pleading.

She rolled her eyes, turning away and heading towards a grimy garage door, "You can never piss off enough people."

She bent down, reaching for the handle to pull the door open only for it to be stopped by a foot in the way. She straightened up, glaring, "Do you mind?"

"Actually, I do. I'm not letting you steal anything else, let alone the contents of someone's garage," The redhead's resolve was solid, frustratingly so.

The glare hardened, slowly twisting her face into a scowl, "I already told you, I'm not stealing."

"Stealing, borrowing without asking, whatever you call it. Either way, you aren't going in," The redhead's voice was stern, as was her expression.

Shego smirked cruelly, responding snidely, "Oh? And who's going to stop me? Your hands look a little useless, so I really see no threat here."

"Try me," Kim stood defensively before the door, her foot still solidly in front of the handle. It appeared she meant it.

Shego rolled her eyes, irritated at the redhead's absurd behavior, "I'm giving you one last chance to move."

The younger woman's olive eyes continued to stare directly into her own, offering no surrender.

"Fine. Have it your way," she growled.

She stepped in front of Kim, close enough to be uncomfortable, and grabbed her hands palm to palm. She intertwined her finders before slamming them into the door behind her. The confused and slightly angry look Kim wore was quickly replaced as she hissed in pain. While the glass didn't cut into her own palms, they pressed further into Kim's.

As she began to squirm and pull away, Shego pressed her body up against hers, one leg between two, stopping any escape. She began pressing her palms upward, pushing the shards into a different direction and cutting her skin further.

The redhead's eyes screwed shut as she realized she was stuck, in a considerable amount of pain and pressed awkwardly up against a door by the older woman. She could begin to feel the warm flow of blood as new skin broke and couldn't help the pained noise that emanated from her throat.

Shego's voice growled close to her ear, "Care to move yet?"

She refused to answer, clamping her jaw shut. Shego did not like this response as she thrust her palms upward, burying the glass further. This time, Kim's mouth opened as she released a wounded cry.

This was just the opportunity that the older woman needed, releasing and shoving her to the side, throwing open the door without much of a second thought. She marched straight in without a passing glance.

"You're a sadistic bitch," A weak voice sounded from the doorway.

"Hey, I offered you the chance to get out of the way. You didn't take it so I had to resort to other measures." Shego was already in one corner, searching under several dirty looking pieces of material. She didn't seem to be touching the large covered up thing in the center of the room, which should have been the first thing she went for.

"I'm pretty sure the car is the big thing in the _middle_ of the room."

Shego ignored her, searching further for something. Kim shook her head, eyeing her palms that were now flowing with fresh blood. The shards were now imbedded particularly deep, meaning she would have to pick them out. She frowned at this idea.

"Here we go."

The redhead's eyes flashed up to Shego holding a set of keys in her hand. She couldn't help but be confused, "How did you know there were keys hiding around?"

"The same way I know that underneath that cover is a Lamborghini," she flipped over the material revealing a deep green body with twin lime stripes above the front wheels, "Ah, how I've missed this car."

Kim could only stand motionless, gaping at the expensive foreign racer before her.

"Keep that up and you're going to be eating flies for dinner," Shego smirked, moving off to another corner, searching for who knew what else.

"How did you know this was here?"

"Again, did you think I came to this race unprepared? It's a top priority win," flat sarcasm filled the small garage.

"And you couldn't have just told me that this was garage was yours or something?"

"Nah. That would have disrupted my fun."

This woman was impossible, "You really are a sadistic bitch."

Shego lifted out a bottle and a medical looking pouch, "As much as I like these pleasantries, I have to get back on the road. Here." She held out the items for Kim to grab, earning a glare. She shrugged and put it on the table beside her.

"The main road is just down the street. Follow it that way and you'll hit the airport in a couple blocks," She pointed vaguely with her arm before unlocking and opening the car door.

She was interrupted before she could get into the car, "Wait."

She sighed, irritated, "I'm not going to pay that speeding ticket, but I'll send you a check for the gas in a couple days. Happy?"

"No."

"What do you want then? I'm burning precious time here!" The anger the woman emitted began to grow again.

"Let me come with you," Kim offered.

Shego snorted, glaring at her sceptically, "So you can tell me everything I'm doing wrong and mess up the inside of this baby? I don't think so."

Kim rolled her eyes, hiding the pained look, before tenderly reaching into the front of her pants.

A dark eyebrow rose, "Sorry, Kimmie, but I don't have time for sexual favours."

The redhead's face flushed as she pulled out a small black rectangle, handling it gently. It caught the light and Shego's eye as well.

"If you let me come, I'll give this precious little device of yours back."

Shego thought about it for a moment before speaking up, "Why?"

"I figured that thing had some importance to you, so-"

Shego brushed it off with a wave her hand, "No. Why do you want to come so badly? I _am_ breaking the law on forty different levels and it _is_ against your morals."

Kim shrugged, "Humor me."

Shego eyed her hesitantly before, growling, "Fine. Just hurry up and get in."

It was Kim's turn to smirk as she grabbed the pouch and bottle and got into the passenger's side.

"And don't you _dare _make a mess in here."


	3. Chapter 3

**Independence Pass Summit**

Shego stood a few feet in front of the vehicle, blowing on her chilled hands as the Lamborghini idled almost soundlessly behind her. Kim walked up beside her, rubbing her own arms in a futile attempt to warm herself against the biting cold. Neither had prepared to be outside in freezing temperatures when the weather was still warm below the mountains.

Both stared at the flimsy obstacles, debating if it really was safe to continue. The flashing red lights strongly suggested otherwise.

"Does this mean you're going to wait?" Shego never did seem the patient type, but then again, people do change.

The older woman just continued to glare at this sign as if it had offended her quite profoundly.

The muffled silence of the falling snow and idling car was interrupted by the sound of an engine tearing up the mountain. Both turned, jumping out of the way as a dark grey, bordering on black, Aston Martin raced by, crashing through the flashy warning signs.

Shego's eyes narrowed, before she hopped back into her vehicle. Kim was in mere seconds later and they were already on the move.

"Competition all you need to risk your life?"

Shego grimaced, swerving around the first few corners, slowly catching up to the opponent, "Someone has to take the bastard down."

"You know him?"

"His uncle's in the Mafia. Taught him everything he knows and I'm pretty sure his asshole gene came from there," she growled out.

"So you stole that car from a Mafia, of which the family you happen to know, and pissed them off in the process?" Kim inquired, incredulous.

Shego sighed, letting her agitation seep through, "Always with the questions, aren't you?"

"It's because I'd like answers."

"And become more entangled in this mess than you already are? I don't think so. Which reminds me, next time we go though a city with an airport, you need to get out." She drifted around a hairpin turn, still stuck behind her opponent.

"I'd like some answers first."

Before Shego could even think up an answer, sirens sounded outside her vehicle, drowning out the humming of the vehicles motor. "And the fun starts."

From somewhere in the valley below the road, balls of flaming explosives were launched above them just up ahead. Thankfully, they weren't aimed at the drivers but at the unstable snow lining the mountains. Upon impact, they exploded with deafening blasts, knocking down boulders of snow the size of tires. A couple of trees fell, nearly landing on the road if it hadn't been for the railings on the side.

The car whipped by, just under the hanging trunk. More sirens sounded, and like the previous ones, explosives were launched at the mountain side. More snow boulders rained down, filling the car with dulled metal thuds.

"I'm going to hope you tank-proofed more than your first car."

A small smile appeared on Shego's lips, "Of course. Wouldn't want to leave home destructible now, would we?"

As a cloud of snow began to build, the car entered a half tunnel saving their sight. The grey racer was still ahead of them, as if bragging by being just out of reach. Shego growled, stepping harder on the gas.

They ripped out of the short tunnel and back to the cliff-riding highway. This part seemed to have been blasted before they had reached it, several large snow and rock boulders spread over the road. She dodged around them expertly but it didn't seem to take away from the fact that they couldn't gain ground on the opponent.

Several more alarms sounded as the mountain exploded, once again showering them with chunks of ice and rock. This time, boulders fell onto the road, leaving little time to react. It was a death trap.

The car ahead was in the middle of the falling frenzy, yet nothing seemed to be landing on his vehicle. He was one lucky bastard indeed.

A second tunnel appeared up ahead, and it brought some relief to Kim. If they were in a tunnel, there was a lot less chance of getting struck down by a falling boulder. Shego drifted around the hairpin turn in the tunnel, just as it shook, flickering the lamps before they blinked out. She turned on her headlights quickly, not risking a second at the insane speed she was going at.

They shot out of that tunnel and onto a clean stretch of road, either yet to be blasted or not needing it. If she didn't know better, Kim would have thought this was a beautiful drive through the mountains. Sadly, it was nothing close to that.

As Shego skidded around a few corners, the car began to shake with incredible force. There were no warning sounds as boulders the size of mini vans rained from the sky. Shego grit her teeth as they crashed around the car, sending it into an icy apocalyptic scene.

The giant rocks crashed to the ground, some splitting on impact, others staying as they were. The older woman swerved around the deadly obstacle course, doing her best not to crash the car when so many odds were against her.

Slowly, she started to gain on her opponent and pass him as hell rained down in giant, solid forms of earth. A few more boulders rained down causing her to swerve out of the way several times. Finally, the largest boulder of all fell right in front of her car, leaving her with no time to react in any way. The rock was so big that, even if she had swerved, she would have hit it anyways for it took up half the road.

Kim watched as the rock struck the solid wall on the opposite side and bounced straight back and into the other lane from them. The Aston Martin hadn't the time to react as he sped full force into an impenetrable wall.

The blasting stopped for a moment and she checked her rear view. There were no headlights anywhere behind her. She breathed a sigh of relief which quickly caught back as her eyes focused forward once more.

The blasting had moved right above the tunnel that was their only escape off the peak and out of the blasting zone. A white cloud quickly began to form and race down the mountain and onto the road. It was playing chicken with them. Shego smirked. She never lost a game of chicken and she wasn't about to start now.

The snow was on them in seconds, blasting against the car in the wrong direction. A few times in the short seconds she was there, she saw boulders whip by, mere inches from her car. As she tried to press down the pedal already against the floor, she released a growl, hoping that if never again in her life, she got enough luck now to survive.

Black surrounded them in seconds, as the snow closed in behind. They were safe in the tunnel.

"Yes!" Shego laughed, navigating easily though the well lit, clean tunnel. She was safe for now. The young Mafia man was down and the other racers were stuck behind an avalanche that would put them out of the race. It was a good day.

* * *

**South Dakota, Somewhere Along Interstate 90**

Chicago was the next major city she had to hit. She knew what awaited her there and it wasn't good; hell, it was an understatement if she ever knew one. The previous cities would be cake compared to what was up ahead.

She knew she would have to find some way to handle it and Kim would only slow her down and probably place her at greater risk than she already was. Even so, it was probably in Kim's best interest not to go anywhere near the middle of what was soon to be a war zone.

"You have to catch a flight at the next city." It wasn't up for debate.

"And you have to give me answers." And neither was this.

Shego grit her teeth, "And I thought I told you, you aren't getting them."

"Well, I guess I'll have to stay," Kim played off nonchalance, pretending to get more comfortable in her seat.

"When did you turn into a prying priss that sticks her nose where it doesn't belong?" Her voice was teasing, if not meaning to wound.

The redhead was good at ignoring the older woman's harsh taunts, taking the words as they were. "About the same time you disappeared and were considered dead to the world."

Shego growled, switching to defensive, "Will you stop dragging me into this? You're the one who doesn't belong here, not me."

"I _belong _wherever I _feel_ like belonging," She drug the words out, knowing she was rubbing Shego the wrong way.

"Arrogance doesn't suit you, Pumpkin. Stick to the friendliness that makes everyone _so_ happy," venom dripped from the last few words before she continued, seemingly angry at that fact, "And I don't give a shit about where you feel or don't feel like belonging. You aren't one of us and you need to _get out_."

"Why are you so eager to get me out of the car now? You had no problem taking me to Vegas. Hell, you even _offered_ to do so. So why does it matter so much if I stay or not?"

"I don't need to complete this race only for you to get all high and mighty and arrest everyone at the finish. That's a one way ticket to be hunted down and killed."

Kim scoffed, giving her a disbelieving look, "C'mon! How stupid do you think I am? And besides, have you even seen me with any sort of communication device this entire time? Have you seen me contact anyone to give them details about anything?"

"How do I know what you're doing when you take a piss? Maybe you're telling them every little thing that I've let slip this entire time."

Olive eyes shone, offended, "Do you not trust me that much?"

"Do I have any reason not to distrust you? In San Francisco, I offered you a truce and you declined that without so much of a second thought, so why in the world should I have any reason to trust you?"

Kim knew she was right. Shego had offered her the knowledge she had wanted and all she had done was shut her down and walk away. It was the first time she had seen the woman in many years and that was the wrong move to make.

"I'm sorry, but I thought that you were still taking part in villainy," her voice softened a little, "How could I have known you were going to give me some truth instead of lies?"

Shego's grip tightened around the steering wheel as she hissed her next words, "All you've done this damn trip is apologize. Words mean nothing once its been done." Her chest tightened with a dull pain once again, only making her clamp her jaw shut. "And trust is a funny thing, Kim. It usually works two ways, not just one. Who am I to put _any _kind of trust in someone who won't trust me, _especially_ the likes of you?"

Kim sighed as she watched the road, knowing that as stubborn as the older woman was, she had a point, "And how was I supposed to trust you when you suddenly came back from the dead, huh? You can't disappear that long only to reappear years later and expect everything to be back how it was."

"I never expected anything from anyone! That would be asking too fucking much, wouldn't it now? It was sheer dumb luck that you saw someone running and identified it as me. Otherwise, you would still think I was dead."

She shook her head, angered, before continuing, "It was just too easy for you, wasn't it, Possible? Bet it ruined your day when you realized your enemy wasn't dead but in fact running around underground like a rat in the sewers. I can imagine just how much it must've screwed up your plans."

Kim bit her tongue as Shego continued her tirade, her anger only seeming to grow along with the acceleration of the car.

"Well, let me tell you something, _Princess,_" her voice was dangerously low, "I wouldn't be in this goddamn mess if it wasn't for you. I didn't just wind up here by falling too low in life or something stupid like that. I put myself here, Kim. I put myself here to get what I came for and then get the hell out and it's all because of _you_."

"_Me?" _Kim couldn't help looking at her incredulously, "You're the one who disappeared! You're the one who's here because you put yourself here! You can't possibly put me at fault when I haven't been anywhere near you for years!" The compressed feelings were beginning to boil over.

Shego snorted, "How _fucking blind _are you? Or just plain ignorant? If you haven't put any of the pieces together yet then maybe I was mistaken about how perceptive you are."

"If you just _told _me, there wouldn't be this guessing game that you have going on."

"Oh, but I love games. _Especially _fucking with you."

"Do you need to swear so much?" Kim asked, rolling her eyes, clearly agitated.

"What, no comment on my screwing with you? I don't know if you realized this yet, but this is my car. This is my trip. I can do whatever the _fuck_ I want." Shego's lips were curled into a vicious smirk, so full of hatred and unlike that of annoyance or teasing, "Here I was thinking Little Miss Perfect would have grown up by now and started using big people words. Guess I was wrong there, too."

"Age has nothing to do with swearing! There shouldn't be any need for swearing just to emphasize a point."

"There's quite a difference between 'get out of my car' and 'get the _fuck_ out of my car'," Shego scowled, "This is another thing I don't need."

"What, some common sense?"

"You telling me about everything I've done 'wrong'. Just because it's wrong to you doesn't mean it's wrong to someone else. What do you do if you see a poor child stealing because he needs to eat? Arrest him because you saw it as 'wrong'?"

"Well…"

"Exactly. I don't need you or anyone else moralizing about my 'wrongs'. I've gotten quite far without hearing your disapproval for what I've done or am doing, and I have no intention of listening to it now."

"Shego-"

"Don't _Shego_ me. I told you-"

"Hey!" Kim's raised voice was enough to silence the older woman for the time being, "If you'll shut up and listen for a moment, please," She took a breath, picking her words carefully, "How many times have I actually stopped and lectured you on what you're doing wrong? Yeah, I may disprove of what you do sometimes and try to stop you from going too far on occasion, but I have never bombarded you with my opinion on how you've chosen to live.

"I understand that this race means a lot to you and that I am an unwelcome passenger, but I wouldn't do anything to compromise it. If I was here just to screw with this, something that you have obviously worked hard for, then I wouldn't be any better than the worst criminal. Don't you see? I get it.

"What I don't get is how you keep coming to some conclusion that I'm just here to mess everything up; to tell you how much I hate what you're involved with. Truth be told, there are worse things that you could be doing. I can handle this. So, why are you so stuck on those facts when it's never been a problem before?"

Strangely enough, the older woman had stayed quiet the entire time, and had even calmed down a little, "How many times in the past have you stopped me, _us, _from taking over the world? This isn't the world but it is _my_ life and you've had no problem interfering with that before."

"I never meddled with your life. Your career, sure, but not your life."

"I beg to differ."

"Oh really? When did I mess up your life outside of villainy?"

She paused for a sizable moment, either from hesitation or reluctance, before carrying on in a low voice, "Do we have a truce until I finish the race, regardless if you're in the car or not?"

This was a second chance. Shego was offering her what she had days earlier and she'd be stupid not to take it. She had to be cautious, though, knowing how easily it was to tread the wrong way with this woman.

"Yes, although I'd rather be _in _the car."

"That's not your choice."

"I am aware."

Shego took a deep breath, staring ahead as she passed several cars along the way. Eventually, one hand left the wheel as the car slowed slightly, before reaching for Kim.

The redhead raised an eyebrow, watching her with uncertainty and leaning away slightly, "Um…"

"Stay still," Shego growled.

Kim did as she was told as Shego gently pressed the back of her hand against her cheek. A sharp intake of breath signaled one of two things; she felt it or she wasn't expecting the gesture.

"Do you feel that?" the older woman's voice was low, forced, as she gave Kim wary glances between watching the road.

While Shego wasn't watching, Kim lightly grabbed her hand between two bandaged ones, pulling it before her and rubbing it softly, "Is this still from the pass over the mountains?"

Shego pulled her hand back, but Kim's grip tightened slightly, keeping it there for the time being.

"No," her voice was icy.

"Then why are you so cold?"

Shego pulled harder this time, successfully relieving her hand from its captives and replacing it to the wheel. She stared ahead, thoughts visibly going though her head as her pale knuckles clutched tightly to the leather.

After several long moments, Kim spoke up softly, "Shego?"

Her eyes were hard, tightly focused on the road ahead, her jaw clenched as she spoke in a dead voice, "My powers are gone."

Kim couldn't help be confused by her bluntness, "I… I don't understand."

"I. Don't. Have. Powers."

"But… how? Since when? Why?"

"The voltage of that tower was enough to kill several men. I was soaking wet and those two don't mix. My powers saved my life somehow, and because of that, I lost them. Completely gone. Just vanished."

Kim's eyes widened slowly as the full realization of what she had done set into place. She was going to apologize but Shego's earlier comments kept her tongue frozen. How do you even begin to apologize for something that big; for taking away some so personal, so impossibly unique only to never return it?

All of her earlier reactions and coldness made sense. How could you not hate someone for taking something like that away from you?

"I… I didn't know. Is… there anything I can do to help?"

"You've _helped _enough as it is. Just get out at the next city and take the next flight home."

Kim was silent for a few more minutes, watching the world race towards them only to disappear just as quickly, "Can I ask you something?"

"No, my tits aren't fake."

Kim couldn't help but crack a small smile. At least she hadn't lost her personality after all this which was quite a feat in itself. "You said earlier that this race is going to fix everything. Excuse my ignorance, but I don't see how."

"Doctors cost a lot in this economy, Princess, especially when you need the best of the best from around the world."

"Not that I'm complaining, but why didn't you just steal the money? Wouldn't have that been faster and easier?"

"Hello? No powers? Besides, it's harder to get people to operate on convicted criminals with stolen money. Threatening them wouldn't work either 'cause who knows what they would do once you're under."

It was obvious that the older woman had thought about her options well before deciding to take part in this race, but Kim couldn't help but feel partially to blame for this. In reality, she was more than a little at fault and she knew it.

She nodded, before continuing, "So why the need for the doctors?"

"Well, I'm not gonna consult bankers on this… _issue_."

Kim sighed, "I mean, why consult anyone in the first place? I doubt they know anything about it. If anything, it would just make you more miserable because you know you can't have it back."

Shego frowned, "Let me try putting this into terms you can understand, Kimmie. If someone took away your personality or athletic ability and left you stuck without it, would you not try everything to get it back?"

Although the older woman's comparison was bad, it made sense. There really was nothing that Kim could relate to when it came to Shego's loss. What was gone was something so close to her that it in itself was a piece of her. After finding out that something so meaningful, so ultimately yours was taken from you, you would try anything to get it back, even if it meant reaching new lows to achieve it. Shego was just trying to get herself back, and Kim could understand that. She was awed by the woman's unshakable drive, even if it was misplaced.

"I guess you're right, but what if you end up disappointed?"

The taller of the two grimaced, "There's more than one way to skin a cat."

It was Kim's turn to frown, "Don't do anything stupid."

A dark eyebrow was cocked, as emerald eyes looked away from the road for a second, "And you care because?"

Kim shrugged, "It's nice knowing you're not dead or up to villainy."

Shego rolled her eyes, swerving around several more cars, "Great. Worse than a parole officer. My decisions aren't up to you, got it?"

"I know. I just don't want you doing anything too reckless."

"How sweet," she drawled sarcastically, "but I will do whatever it takes to get my powers back."

The conviction in her voice shocked Kim momentarily, "Even if it costs you your life?"

"I will do _anything_."

The redhead pondered this, "Why not relax on a beach somewhere or something like you usually do and just forget about everything?"

A sort of far away, pained look glassed over her eyes before she answered, "I need my glow back."

The younger woman would have continued to argue, but Shego's stubbornness and steadfast desire to get her powers back was unwavering. The amount she was risking was unbelievable, and yet, she seemed unfazed.

Any mood in the car was long dead as Kim's eyes looked forward, unfocused, as she processed everything she now knew and wondered how many mistakes she had made with this woman both recently and years ago.

* * *

**Near Rockford, Illinois**

The Lamborghini rolled up beside a pump, almost completely empty after the long haul across the flatter states. This was the last stop before Chicago. The sun was completely gone now, having raced them across the planes, the city lights marking the destination in the distance. This was it.

"Alright, Pumpkin, this is where you get out."

"It's your turn to fill up the gas, though."

A dark eyebrow was cocked, "Yes, but you have a flight to catch, remember?"

"I'll get out at Chicago," Kim replied, nonchalantly.

"That wasn't the deal," Shego deadpanned.

Kim shrugged, stubborn to leave the vehicle, "You said the next city. This isn't a city."

Shego rolled her eyes, "There is still an airport here that I'm more than sure you capable enough to use."

"Please?"

"Nope."

"C'mon. Where's the harm in that?"

"_I'll_ harm you if you don't get out."

"How do you plan to do that without powers?"

The moment it slipped, she slapped both her hands over her mouth, a muffled squeak of an apology sounding afterwards.

Shego froze in the middle of opening her door, visibly tensed, "Excuse me?"

"I just… and I… it slipped… I'm sorry!" the redhead fumbled over her words, trying to redeem herself.

Shego turned, glaring at her, "I can kick your out of work ass _any day_, Princess. Don't you go forgetting that."

The redhead sat, stunned that Shego hadn't lashed out or used it against her to get her out of the car faster. What was worse (or better, depending on how you looked at it) was the look behind the eyes. It wasn't an angry glare like it should have been, but one interlaced with mirth. Kim wasn't sure what to make of it. Maybe the older woman really had lost more than just her powers.

When she finally recovered from the look, Shego had already begun filling the car. She warily opened the door and let her legs stretch out. She didn't dare get out of the car for the time being, in case she couldn't get back in.

She leaned forward, peering at Shego. Her back was turned to Kim, as she leaned against the vehicle. She didn't seem to show any signs of anger…

"Like the view from back there?"

Kim felt her face heat up, caught off guard once again, "Of course. Just a little more to the left."

Shego cocked a hand on her left hip, looking over her shoulder on that same side. At that moment, Kim wished she had a camera. The pose was perfect with the background, along with the mischievous smirk visible on the part of the taller woman's face that she could see. Her stance showed her power, independence, and freedom, awing the redhead.

"It must be a _really_ good view from there."

She had been caught staring, "I… Yeah. It is."

An eyebrow quirked, "And here I though you were a straight arrow. The longer you spend on this trip, the more crooked your arrow seems to get and it's only been… what, two days?" She made a clicking noise with her tongue, "And here I thought it would take so much longer to break those habits of yours."

Kim felt her face heat up a little more and just after it had finished cooling down, "That wasn't what I meant, thank you very much. And what do you mean by that?"

"By what?"

"Crooked arrow, breaking my habits."

Shego half turned, leaning her lower back on the car, "Well, when you first found me, you could have arrested me straight off. You didn't. Hell, you even got into the car I hijacked. Next, you wanted to stay in this death race because it's the first exciting thing that has happened in a long time. That wouldn't be crazy talk if it wasn't highly illegal with people trying to kill you along the way. And then there was the confirmation on my comment…"

"The view I was _talking_ about and the view you were _thinking_ I was talking about are two separate things. And I needed answers and arresting you never gives me anything. Turns out it was much more exciting than what I expected, so I stayed."

"So, you're saying you were using me to get the answers that you wanted and coming along for the ride was a bonus."

Kim's eyes grew wide and she shot up from her seat, "No! The first little while I wanted answers yes, but after a bit it got fun and it wasn't so much the knowledge as spending time with you."

A dark eyebrow rose once again, causing the redhead to continue.

"I know I messed up big time and I can't do anything to fix it, but will you at least let me finish this race, even if you kick me out of the vehicle at the end of it?"

Shego continued giving her a half intrigued stare. She knew there was something more to this than the redhead was revealing and she didn't need that kind of thing looming over her, "Sorry, Kimmie. No can do. I told you the rules and you agreed. Can't turn back now."

The redhead was about to protest before being interrupted quite rudely, "This isn't a fun little drive, Kim. People are in this race to win and some of them are willing to do anything. This is extremely dangerous and exciting, even for all the risk. This isn't something that you need to get involved in just for the thrill."

"Yeah, but your driving is the best, isn't it? I've seen how you drive, and although it's crazy, we make it alive. What is there to worry about then?"

_Coming from the one who was telling me to slow down in the beginning, there's a lot to worry about. I think I've created a monster_. Shego growled, shaking her head, "What's not to worry about? Legally, I've done enough in this race alone to be sentenced to death."

"And I've gotten over that. You don't have to worry about me arresting you, you know that, right?"

"It's not me I'm worried about, Princess. Dangerous people are waiting in Chicago. It'll be ten times worse than it was in San Fran. Do you not understand that? These people are armed to the teeth and are there to kill, not play games."

Kim gave her a wary glance, "The mafia is waiting in the city for you?"

Shego exhaled, not denying anything.

"Why didn't you say anything? We could have prepared for this or something. We-"

"No. There is no 'we'. There is an 'I' and a 'me'. I told you to get out now and that's what you will be doing. No questions about it."

"I can't just leave you to go into that city alone, Shego. If it's as dangerous as you say it is, then you shouldn't be facing it alone."

Shego scoffed, "And what are you going to do? Stop and arrest them because you are the great Kim Possible? I don't think so. No, I don't need company while facing these devil spawn. And you're better off getting out before you're any more involved than you already are."

She knew Shego was right. This was getting a little deeper than she wanted to be involved with, but from what the small computerized device said, the race was close to over and she wanted to stick with it until the end. "I know I won't be of much help, but can't I just finish the race? I've gotten this far already and the end is within sight. I swear I won't be burdensome."

"You're _always _a burden." Something in her resolve was beginning to dissolve, and the redhead could sense it.

Kim knew her next move was a desperate one, doing something she hadn't in years. _Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. _And with a reflex unused but not forgotten, her face melted into what was known as 'the puppy-dog' pout. "Please?"

Shego's eyes widened in horror, "Oh no." She looked away shielding her eyes with her hand, "Sheesh! Whatever! You can stick around for a little bit longer if you just put that face away and promise never to use it again! Argh!"

Kim's face instantly transformed back into a smile, "Promise."

Shego sighed, replacing the nozzle to its spot, wondering just how much of a problem this was going to pose to her later on.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chicago City Limits**

The city lights looming in the distance lit up the horizon, casting an eerie glow into the sky. This was just the beginning of the hellish city and it wasn't looking good so far. This part was easy enough for Shego. The highway entering the city was already thinning as she passed several drivers, both normal citizens and other racers. The unease of what was to come was thick in the enclosed space, almost malleable.

She rounded a few easy corners, only for headlights to appear in her rear view mirror. It would have been fine, aside from the fact the guy had his brights on and was gaining on her fast.

"Son of a bitch, turn off your lights!"

The driver half complied, passing the Lamborghini on the inside. Instead of pulling straight through, it raced beside her for a moment. Shego's instinct was to slam on the gas and beat this guy in an all-out drag race and she probably should have listened. Intuition was usually right.

Instead, a loud bang erupted inside of her vehicle, momentarily deafening both passengers and shattering the passenger and driver side windows. In that half moment, Shego cringed and the other driver took the opportunity to slam his car into the side of hers, sending her spinning out to the gravel on the roadside.

Her car stopped quickly with the help of the brakes, but she only got a glimpse of the tail lights of the other vehicle; that small frame was enough. Shego's incredulous irritation was the first thing to fill the silent vehicle, "That bloody cockroach survived. And he tried to shoot me! How much does it take to kill that bastard?"

She looked over at her passenger, who looked a little shaken up, if anything, "Still in one piece?"

Kim flexed her jaw, "I can still hear you, so better than I could be."

"Good 'cause we gotta go."

She slammed her hands onto the wheel before shifting it back into gear and getting out of the dirt. Several of the racers that she had passed moments ago sped by, obviously indifferent of the accident. She had a lot of ground to make up for if she was to catch up to where she had been.

The car accelerated quickly and she was back to the speed before the accident. It wouldn't be long before she would pass her rivals once more.

"I thought the car was nearly indestructible," the redhead's voice carried the discontent Shego felt.

Shego frowned, swerving around several of the slower moving vehicles, "Yeah, that's what I thought. Maybe it's not as safe as it could be."

"I see that isn't going to stop you from going breakneck pace," Kim stated, flatly.

"Nope. It just adds to the excitement now," She passed a couple of the racers she had before, slowly gaining back her position.

A couple corners and straight stretches later, the city was upon them. Everyone who thought they could pass Shego was proven dead wrong as they were left in the dust. She weaved through the dying city traffic, getting closer and closer to the city's center, Kim giving directions on the exact path she had to take.

It ended up being an alternate path through backstreets of the city. Warehouses could be seen on the other side of the waterway the road flanked, with hotels and other tall buildings stretching up on this side. Somewhere along the way, the highway became covered, causing the noise from the car's engine to reverberate from the walls. It wasn't long before a familiar pair of taillights appeared ahead.

A smirk flashed across the older woman's face, making her eyes glow like a cat that just found its prey, "Lookie what we have here."

She pressed on the gas, gaining on the Aston Martin. Something was different about it though. The taillights, although having generally the same shape, were somewhat sharper. In fact, the more she looked over the car, the more she realized it wasn't exactly the same. This one had a deep red undertone she hadn't noticed before, instead of the slate grey.

"So, you've gotten a new set of wheels, eh? Well, let's see what she can do."

She swerved around him, jamming the gas to the floor in an attempt to pass. She knew he had loaded weapons, so she was careful about how she passed, not leaving him with a clear shot. She shot past him with ease, but didn't end up getting far. He dawdled behind her, showing off before using the same move to sneak past her.

Shego spat her annoyance, "Dirty copycat."

She attempted to push the gas pedal to the floor only to realize it was already pressed flat, meanwhile the Mafia boy was accelerating faster, as if it was no problem whatsoever.

"Now he's a playing dirty!" Shego slammed a fist on the wheel, trying her best to keep up with the distancing vehicle.

"It seems the Mafia is a dirty business," Kim was focusing on the screen in her lap, showing the many twists and turns the older woman was going to have to take.

Shego sped around several corners along the highway, losing the Aston Martin somewhere along the way. She cussed as the Lamborghini vaulted onto the ramp and into the back roads of the city center. It was definitely the concrete jungle, huge buildings stretching towards the sky everywhere. Thankfully, the city life was dying out and she didn't need to dodge around as many cars as she previously thought.

With Kim's instruction, she turned down several streets, each almost looking like the last in the yellow light of the street lamps.

Shego made an irritated noise in her throat, her frustration visibly growing, "When I get my hands on that motherfu-"

Shego's words were cut short as a black SUV shot across the road right into the passenger side of the Lamborghini. The sound of metal scraping painfully against itself, along with shattering glass, filled the car. The vehicle and its passengers were violently jerked to the side, drifting across the road. Thankfully, the car hit the rear end, not killing the passengers in the car.

Shego knew what was happening the second the black entered her peripheral. This was no accident. She knew what was to come and only had one piece of advice for the redhead, "Run."

Shego was out of the car before it came to a complete stop, Kim out and over the hood following right behind. If she didn't keep close, there was a good chance she wouldn't make it out of the city alive. The men in the black suits were right behind, not taking as much time to recover as Shego had hoped.

She knew they wouldn't shoot, as they were probably requested to keep her alive for the head guy to torture and kill and she wasn't about to let that happen. She charged into an open warehouse building, taking the stairs three at a time. It seemed Kim hadn't lost her athletic ability, keeping up with her no problem. That or the adrenaline pumping through her veins.

The men called out behind her, not able to climb the stairs as quickly. She reached the top with them trailing a few sets behind. Easily enough, she kicked the open door to the roof and continued sprinting for the ledge on the far side. Shego could feel Kim's reluctance to keep running towards the edge, but she kept up none the less.

"Jump!"

And with that, both women leapt from the ledge, hurdling themselves to the next building nearly ten feel below. As her foot pushed from the building, a helicopter rose above the building, capturing both bodies in its spotlight.

Shego cursed under her breath as she landed rather hard and continued sprinting, the huge light still trained on them. Shots from a Gatling gun mounted on the bird began firing at them, making it all the more dangerous.

In a few quick strides, they had gone the length of the building, flinging themselves off yet again. This time, Shego had the sense to roll, saving her legs. The redhead was still near her so she clearly hadn't lost all of her endurance over the years.

The gun was retrained onto its target milliseconds after they had landed, continuing to rain down bullets. Okay, so maybe he did just want her dead at any cost. She began to move in a jagged pattern, dodging behind pallets and scaffolding stocked up on the roof. Several times she ducked as glass shattered and shots whizzed over her head, barely missing their target.

The edge of the building drew closer until she launched herself off of it and onto the one below. This roof happened to be made of metal and was sloped downward. Back to the streets it seemed. Her body slammed onto the metal roof and the second slam that followed confirmed that Kim hadn't died in the crossfire.

Shego slid the few short feet down the metal before launching herself off and reaching for the metal bars across the empty space. With quick reflexes, she grabbed on long enough to slow her decent and land on the garbage bin below. She rolled off and pressed her back against the cold metal, hiding from the entrance to the alleyway.

Just as her partner in crime joined her, police sirens sounded from the end of the road, signalling the arrival of the most annoying force in the world.

"Does it ever end?" Shego hissed, less out of breath than Kim. She used to this by now.

The crunching of dirt under the car's tires signaled that it was pulling up beside their current spot. Shego motioned Kim to move behind the garbage can and back around, hopefully to take the officer by surprise.

By the sound of it, both doors opened indicating that there was more than one officer.

One of the voices spoke up, "You head around front. I'll cover the back."

The other responded, "You got it."

The first officer was quick to walk away, his footsteps fading behind the building, leaving just the second guy to take care of.

"Head for the passenger door, I'll head for the driver's side. Take out the cop if you have to." It was a direct instruction, with little room for argument.

Shego could see that the redhead didn't want to do this, but olive eyes shone in the dim light with the acceptance to listen. The older woman nodded before running onto the far side and for the door. The policeman was on her side, but it was going to be an easy take down. He looked up at the last minute before she kicked him in the chest sending him rebounding into the open door. He bounced off of it and back to her where she kneed him in the groin and sent him to the ground.

She fired herself into the vehicle, with little regard to what she had done, slamming on the gas, and speeding away in the stolen police cruiser.

A few drifted corners later, Kim seemed to have recovered from the high speed chase, "I gotta hand it to you. You make it look so easy." There was awe in her voice.

"Yeah, well, you do what it takes when you have to," pride leaked into her words.

The police car's radio came to life, informing them both of what was going on.

"_Ten-thirty-three, ten-thirty-three, officer down and… our cruisers been stolen!"_ the officer sounded out of breath.

"_Roger that, what's its heading?"_

"_Turned east_ _about two blocks... two blocks south of our current location."_

"_Back-up's already on route. ETA about five minutes."_

"Well Pumpkin, it seems we have just under that much time to get the hell out of here."

Shego drifted around several corners in the cruiser, irritated by how slow the vehicle accelerated. It was amazing these things were certified to keep traffic under control when they could hardly go fast enough to escape with time to spare.

As she drifted onto one of the main highways, she was met with the blinding light from the Mafia's spotlight. "Here we go again."

They opened fire immediately, striking a citizen's vehicle directly in front of her and reducing it to nothing more than a burning mass on the highway. She navigated around it, dodging other traffic along the way. The spotlight tried to focus on the car, but Shego knew better. She swerved all over the road and drifted corners, anything to lose the focus of the bird.

Ahead of her, another underground roadway appeared and she gunned straight for it, hoping to get under cover ASAP. Bullets riddled the top, not making their way through the tough metal of the cruiser. The safety of cover couldn't come quick enough, as the copter lost view of its target. The blinding spotlight appeared through the pillars on the opposite side of the road seconds later, but they didn't fire a single shot.

"_Attention all units! We have a civilian helicopter firing on traffic in the financial district. I want all available units on scene now!"_

"What're you gonna to do? Shoot down a Mafia copter? Brilliant plan," Shego answered back, sarcastically, "Little late for that anyways."

A few more minutes along the winding passage way and she broke out into the open space once again. The helicopter was waiting for her, focusing the light on the exit. Shego was momentarily blinded, before swerving out of the ray and into a closed off construction zone.

She crashed through the signs, swerving away from the deadly bullets. Along either side of the road were the beginnings of structures held up by pillars. She sped under the first one, using that cover as long as she could. As soon as it ended, she darted to the other side to seek cover there. The Mafia men caught on fast and began to fire at the supporting pillars, hoping that it might happen to fall on her vehicle.

The construction zone ended quickly, as she slid around another corner and onto a functioning highway with no cover. She took back to the reckless driving, avoiding as many bullets as she could. At this point in time, she was trying everything she could to get rid of the stupid helicopter and nothing seemed to work. She jerked the wheel to the left, drifting off down a side road, hoping that maybe she could escape like that.

The helicopter removed the light and vanished from view. She doubted that she had lost it that easily, guessing that it was probably hiding out somewhere again.

As she drove, she was quick to notice that this didn't appear to be much of an escape, but in fact, a train yard. On the other hand, it was probably a service road that could be used to get out of the city. She pressed the pedal down harder, following it over several of the tracks to the road on the other side. She was so close now, she could feel it.

As she gunned it up the tunnel and onto flatter ground, a tanker pulled into view, using the road just as she predicted. This was a way out of the city.

Just as she began to get her hopes up, the helicopter returned to view. It began firing without hesitation, but instead of at the cruiser, it aimed at the tanker in front of her.

"Shit."

One of the shots took out the vehicle's tires, causing it to slam into the wall and then fall to the ground. A few shots after riddled the metal container and ignited its contents, becoming one hell of a firework show right ahead of her. Shego swerved left, avoiding the explosion and crashing the vehicle through the barricades and rolling onto the train tracks below.

* * *

Kim was the first to wake, roused by the pounding in her head. She blinked a few times, groaning and rubbing a hand on her face. Almost instantly she realized that, not only was she upside down, but the entire vehicle was as well. She looked over at the driver, appearing to be no worse for wear except that she was still out cold. Both of their seatbelts had kept them in place, hovering above the roof of the car.

Kim reached for the release to the safety strap, undoing it with a little effort. Gravity worked immediately, slamming her back down to the roof. It hadn't been far, but that didn't stop her from rubbing her head from the impact.

She looked around once more, evaluating the situation she was in. It would be faster and easier to get an escape route from the vehicle before she brought Shego down, as the ex-villainess would only prove to be an obstacle.

She tried her door, slamming her shoulder against it, to no avail. The thing was absolutely stuck in place, most likely from the damage it took. She tried ramming her foot against the front window shield, but it was too close to the ground to be of any use. She looked towards the back, knowing it was too much of a hassle to drag herself and her driver from the vehicle and out the back. The last option, of course, was Shego's door.

She slid over to the driver side, carefully moving her long dark hair from her path and readied herself to kick the window. A few powerful kicks later, and the entire thing shattered leaving them a clean path out. Next on the list, Shego.

As she maneuvered herself backwards, a very unwelcome noise filled her ears, as the vehicle shook ever so slightly. Kim's eyes widened as she peered back through the shattered rear window. The blinding light of a train shone though, the horn blaring once more.

It was Kim's turn to curse.

With quickened anxiety, she fumbled with the seatbelt and its reluctance to let the passenger go. After a few hasty tugs, the belt released spilling a _still _unconscious Shego onto her lap. The train was now only a few hundred meters behind, the shaking of the vehicle getting much more noticeable.

Kim swore once more, swinging herself through the broken window before grabbing Shego's arms and pulling for dear life. The woman could complain about the ripped clothing or whatever after this was through.

As Kim yanked the older woman's legs free of the downed cruiser, the train was upon it, smashing the car to pieces. The horn blared as the metal cracked and crunched, split apart by the sheer force of the train. The suddenness of the destruction caused the redhead to trip backwards, taking Shego with her.

Kim lay on the ground, resting for the moment, panting hard from a series of different things. After everything she just went though, she deserved this break. The train whizzed by, continuing on with a blast of the horn, "Yep. You're … crazy for… doing this."

"I don't think this is the time _or _place for this, Kimmie," A groggy voice answered, the body she had just saved shifted, finally waking.

The redhead looked up, not sure she understood, "Huh?"

Shego stretched, leaning up on one arm and looking her in the eye. A small smirk quickly formed on the woman's lips as the other hand moved slowly from its resting place, down to Kim's thigh, squeezing it.

Oh. That.

Kim felt her face heat up instantly, realizing the compromising position they had fallen into, "Hey! I just saved your unconscious ass! I didn't think you could sleep though a train crash."

"And I'd be more than happy to show you my gratitude," Shego purred, squeezing her thigh once more for emphasis, "but we gotta finish this race first." Messing with the redhead was one of the many joys of life, and this was one opportunity that she just couldn't pass up.

With that, she pushed herself up and stretched her stiff limbs. Kim, still baffled by Shego's straightforwardness, pushed herself from the ground as well. She dusted herself off, realizing her clothing was a mess from the activities before. She sighed, not bothering with most of it.

She watched as Shego finished stretching and began walking in the direction they had just come from, "C'mon. We have a _lot_ of ground to cover."

Kim didn't argue, knowing that she was right. This was a major setback if she ever saw one.

The walking was replaced with a quick jog before too long, both women wanting to be out of this hellish city as soon as possible. The pace was easily set, going to some destination Kim hadn't the slightest idea about. She put her trust in Shego to know where they were headed; if the woman had a car lined up for herself in Vegas, she probably had one here, hopefully more bulletproof than the last.

* * *

"You can't be serious."

"I'm just so sarcastic it sounds serious. No, but really, take your pick."

"But this is _stealing._ You know how I feel about that."

"At this point in time, Pumpkin, we don't have a choice. This or forfeit right now, and the second isn't an option. And besides, you've done enough illegal things by this point that you should be over it by now."

"I haven't done one illegal thing. It's all been you."

Shego rolled her eyes, "We can continue this argument in the car. If you won't pick one, I will."

Kim hesitated for a moment as Shego began walking over to the lined up vehicles, before speaking up once more, "Go for the red one."

The older woman stopped her advance, looking towards the end of the row where the said car was resting. She pursed her lips, examining it, "Not my colour but pretty good eye on the model."

She made her way over to the car, already digging into her back pocket for a little metal pick that was about to become extremely useful, "The alarm is gonna sound when I pick the lock. I'm gonna pop the hood and you need to take out the fuses until the alarm stops, got it?"

Kim stared for a moment, trying to make sense of everything the woman said. She knew a little about cars, but what she knew was mostly about the Sloth she still currently owned. She nodded, making her way to assume her position before the vehicle.

When she was in place, Shego pushed in the fake metal key and began to play with it. The alarm sounded almost immediately and was sure to draw attention if she didn't act quickly, but the woman had the car open just as fast.

The hood popped and Kim threw it up, searching for the small box that would stop the maddening alarm. The box was easy to locate, but there were quite a few fuses to choose from. The redhead knew this wasn't the time to be choosy and just began ripping them out, making sure she knew which ones went where. The second one of the third row finally put an end to the noise, and Kim sighed in relief.

She carefully replaced the others, keeping the alarm/horn one to herself. She got into the passenger side to find Shego messing with the wires to hotwire the car. It didn't take her long and they were on the road before the authority had shown up.

"We make a pretty good team," Shego stated casually.

"Do I sense a compliment somewhere in there?" The redhead raised an eyebrow as she looked to the driver.

"Don't get too full of yourself, Kimmie. You just helped partake in grand theft auto. Shouldn't you be criticizing yourself?" She gave her a half-questioning look, a smirk underneath.

"I told you I would help you finish this race. Plus you practically complimented me on how well I did," The younger woman let a bit of smugness drip into her voice.

Shego rolled her eyes, exasperated, "Now you're reading into things. Oh boy."

"You're the only one to blame, putting the ideas into my head and all," it was Kim's turn to smirk.

"Well for once you're _actually_ being useful. Just don't let it get to your head or I'm gonna throw you out the window," the older woman scowled, "So help me if I've created a monster."

Even if she had managed to turn a compliment into a threat, Kim couldn't help but smile a little.

"Better hold on tight, Princess. We've got a long night ahead of us."


	5. Chapter 5

**Eastbound on Interstate 90**

Cool, early morning air filled her lungs as she stood beside the Lamborghini. The smell of early fall was in the air and it wasn't unpleasant. She sighed, switching hands on the gas nozzle. Yes, what a wonderful day it was, aside from the fact that she hadn't slept in two, well three, nights, was taking part in a cross country illegal race, and the mafia was out to get her driver.

Life was good. Sure, this was dangerous and against her morals to a very high extreme, but she hadn't felt this good in _years_. This was a vacation nobody in their right mind would want. And to her, it was perfect.

"Are you done yet?" A vaguely irritated voice sounded from the opposite side of the vehicle.

Well, almost. She exhaled into the fresh air, "I thought I would just let it drip slowly into the tank, y'know, for fun."

Who was she kidding? All of this was great, even bickering with her once-upon-a-time enemy. Some things just never changed and she didn't have a problem with it.

A dark eyebrow rose, "I _knew _you were out to get me." Although sarcastic, there was no conviction in her words.

The pumped clicked, signalling a full tank and a quick escape back onto the freeway towards New York. There weren't many people on the road at this ungodly hour and that was probably for the best. Even the waves of racers were becoming fewer and farther between. She was close to the front.

Ah, yes. This was something she was glad she hadn't missed out on.

The silence in the vehicle wasn't uncomfortable, but Kim's prevailing curiosity felt the need to end it, "Shego?"

"Yes, Pumpkin. One plus one does, in fact, equal two."

She pushed off the sarcasm, far too used to it, observing the older woman and picking her next words carefully, "Your teasing seems to have… escalated to something a little… more than it usually is."

Shego quirked an eyebrow, giving the redhead a confused side glance, "What?"

"Like when I saved you from being smashed to bits by the train," colour appearing ever so slightly on Kim's cheeks, "and you said you would _'show me your gratitude'_ later. I don't know if I should take that with a grain of salt or…"

A wicked smile took hold of Shego's features, making her look devilish and it didn't go unnoticed. _Now_ she understood what Kimmie was talking about, and she planned to milk it for all it was worth, "What? Can't get the idea of _me _out of your head? Is the picture _really_ that good?"

She looked over at her passenger to see an even darker blush than before on Kim's face. She gave a low whistle before continuing, "Well it must be good if you're _that_ colour. Tell me, am I naked or wearing a bikini?"

Kim rolled her eyes, still blushing quite ferociously, "You wish."

"No, _you_ wish. But it's not really _wishing_ if you can practically undress me with your mind," Shego was loving every minute of this. She wished she could snap a picture of her face right now just for future reference.

Kim huffed, rolling her eyes, "That's not what I meant. What I'm _trying_ to get at is…"

She paused for a few moments causing Shego to press, still wearing a grin, "Is what, Princess? That I would look good with my clothes off?"

"Are you… into women?"

The way Kim had said it, almost forcing the words out and holding them back at the same time, curiosity and courtesy fighting, caused Shego to break into laughter. The amount of awkwardness the redhead seemed to exert in that statement and at Shego's laughter was priceless, so she couldn't help but laugh harder.

The younger woman sat in the adjacent seat, confused by the reaction and slightly embarrassed by the laughter. She had never heard Shego laugh like that before, like she was actually _enjoying _something. It sounded… nice. Even if it was directed at her.

When Shego finally composed herself, she spoke, "What's it to ya? You gonna arrest me for that too?"

Kim was taken aback slightly, "No. I just had no idea you were like that, even though we fought for years."

"Glad you're keeping up with it." In all honesty, the older woman was glad Kimmie didn't seem judgmental on this sort of thing. She didn't know if she could handle the rest of the race with the redhead disgusted at her.

"So the guy from Greece was just cover up?" Kim inquired.

Shego gave her a slightly confused look, trying to understand what she was getting at yet again.

Kim waved her hand, trying to explain it, "The guy with the golden touch or something like that."

"Midas," Shego smirked, "He really did have _the golden touch_," she looked over at her passenger, "Serves him right, though. There's no way any straight man could _ever_ massage the way he does."

"So he was…"

"He's gay," Shego deadpanned.

"And you're…"

The older woman rolled her eyes at Kim's reluctance to say it aloud, "I'm a lesbian, Kimmie."

"Yeah, I got that."

The vehicle filled with the humming of the car as Shego watched the road in front of her, passing racers and civilians alike. The near silence wasn't completely awkward but a heavy feeling was still pressing from somewhere.

Again, Kim was the one to break it with her inquiries, "So, what does all this teasing mean then?"

"I always tease you. Does knowing my sexual orientation change what it means?" Shego gave her a wary glance, still hoping her initial assumptions of Kim's values were correct.

"No, I'm just saying the way you've been teasing seems to have shifted to something a little more like… I don't know, flirting?" The redhead stole glances towards her driver, trying to find a reaction to what she was trying to say. It just wasn't coming out right.

Once again, Shego wore her infamous smirk whilst navigating the road. The redhead seemed to catch on to things eventually. Most of the time, she just needed a bit of prodding in the right direction. "What can I say? Messing with you is one of my favorite pastimes. It's always been a little like that but you just never noticed 'cause you were too worked up over the 'save the world' thing. Can't help it if you're a little _slow_," She emphasized the last word, eying her adversary.

"Hey! I am _not_ slow!" Kim's eyebrows scrunched together, defensively.

"Took you long enough to realize the difference between taunting and flirting."

"That's because it's one in the same with you. I can't help it if I can't tell the difference between when you're being serious or not."

"You realized the difference now that I've given all the answers. That's called being _slow_," the older woman drawled out the last word, really digging it into her passenger's skin.

Kim rolled her eyes. It seemed to become habit the longer she hung around Shego, "If I'm so slow, then why can I kick your ass every time?"

"Because I let you," Shego answered, cockily. She knew she was wearing further on the younger woman and there was nothing she could do about it.

"Oh yeah? We'll have to see about that," Kim grumbled, crossing her arms.

Shego shook a finger, still holding the smug grin, "One should never distract a driver, let alone one going a hundred some miles over the speed limit."

"And yet, you're still able to hold a conversation with me," the redhead added sarcastically, "No, not distracting at all."

"You haven't said anything that I haven't already anticipated at one time or another."

There was a pause as Kim though about something strange, stupid and hopefully surprising to say. Several moments of silence passed before she blurted out, "I'm actually a man."

Shego raised an eyebrow, giving Kim a 'seriously' look, "Please. I've heard more shocking news from the weather man."

This time Kim struck immediately, not giving the woman's mind long enough to switch gears or even predict the next move.

"I'm in love with you," her voice was husky, as she lightly grabbed the other woman's arm, looking at her with a dead serious expression, "Please, Shego, show me your _gratitude_."

The other woman froze, staring wide eyed at Kim. That was definitely… unexpected. After a few seconds Kim broke the contact and erupted into laughter. The look on Shego's face had been absolutely hilarious!

The older woman returned her gaze to the road, scowling. She hadn't expected that to be completely honest, and to top it off, Kim was laughing at her.

When Kim's laughter had finally died down enough to let her speak, she took the opportunity, "Still think I'm a little _slow_?"

"Now I'm going to have to beat you up to show you how _slow_ you really are."

"Bring it, old woman. Just remember, not while you're driving the car. It's dangerous to distract the driver." It was Kim's turn to smirk.

Shego realized her own words were being used against her, "What, can't think anything original up yourself?"

"Don't need to. You walk yourself into almost everything," she replied smugly.

"Yeah, the rate you're going, my fist will show you my gratitude."

"We'll see about that."

* * *

**Cleveland, OH, Industrial District**

The darkness outside soon began to fade as early dawn light appeared on the horizon, casting the beginning of the city into a hellish orange glow. Many racers and a few civilians stupid enough to be up at that hour had been passed as the pair made their way into the beginnings of the city.

As Shego viewed the skyline, she could feel the hair on the back of her neck stand up, feeling as if something horrible was about to happen. She grimaced, stepping a little harder on the gas as if trying to escape the feeling. Her passenger continued to watch the world race by, oblivious to the discomfort of her driver.

As the older woman pulled around a semi, racing far faster than he, the uncomfortable feeling was met with a correct assumption.

Two black SUV's, not unlike the one in Chicago, swerved from side streets, hot on her tail. Up ahead the light from a helicopter shone down onto the road. Someone still figured she was alive and they were right. How they knew where she was, was beyond her.

Shego cursed under her breath, drifting around the exit. She was so damn close to winning the freaking race and she'd be damned if they took her now!

Kim had woken from the staring she was doing out the window, now fully aware of the danger she was flung back into. This time, for the sake of her driver's sanity as well as her own, she chose not to comment.

Shego knew she should have been able to outrun the mafia's cars if she didn't have some crappy factory model. She pressed the gas to the floor, hardly making the car move any faster.

Immediately, the helicopter opened fire on the vehicle, before Shego had the chance to dodge. She cursed once more as she swerved out of the light and slammed into one of the SUV's. They would not be happy about the damage.

For now, all that she was worried about was the damn bird. That seemed to be the most distracting and dangerous. Several times, the copter had tried to blind her with its light that she continued to narrowly avoid. It seemed that aside from the horrible aim the men in the SUV's had, their only intent was to ram her off the road or keep her in the light.

As one flanked her, she swerved away and back, slamming once more into his vehicle. Thankfully, she slid right into a corner that would help her lose the dangerous tail she had. The roadway dropped down and into some sort of loading bay tunnel, successfully losing the focus of the helicopter. She smirked, swerving around several cement pillars, hoping that at least one of the mafia's cars would crash. As she expected, those hopes went unheeded.

The end of the tunnel neared as she shot up the ramp and onto yet another set of train tracks. These things seemed to be getting awfully familiar. She crossed several different tracks, half actually having cars on them, before righting herself and going with them. She dodged around several of the parked containers, hiding from the copter, which once again, found its target.

Some of the cars she passed had been towing highly flammable materials, and as luck would have it, the mafia knew of this as well. They fired at a couple of the containers in attempts to blow her up and keep her out of the race for good, but she was too good for that, expertly weaving away from the dangers.

One of the explosions up ahead caused her to swerve off the tracks and into an old warehouse on the side. Thankfully, it was quite old and held nothing of real use that could block her path. The mafia's SUV's had been lost somewhere behind her in all the fiery blasts, giving her a relief from them and the copter for now.

The warehouse was full of old crates and scaffolding that was easy enough to dodge around, putting her just a little further ahead of her opponents. She broke out of the building through a broken wooden door and back onto the highway. It was a good thing that the train yard was so close to the main road in the district.

She drifted around an exit, only to be met with the last people she wanted to see right now. Of course, the mafia had found a way around the entire mess, taking a shorter route and still being hot on her heels. The bird also loomed up ahead, still trying to peg her swerving car with deadly bullets.

Above her, metal catwalks stretched across the street and before she knew it, they were being shot at, with hopeful intents to crush her.

A dangerous smile spread across her face as she wove between the falling pieces of metal, "Not today, boys."

Up ahead, another worn down warehouse invited her inside with the possibility of safety. The helicopter lost sight as she sped in, crashing through the weak scaffolding that had been there for quite some time. All of that, plus the metal from before had hopefully stopped the SUV's from being her bumper stickers.

The car slammed onto the inclined flooring of the storehouse, lifting her to the dirty glass walls of the building. There was no telling what was on the other side and she was about to find out. The gas was already to the floor as she tried her hardest to press down a little bit further, as the vehicle shot off the edge and through the glass.

Right as the car smashed through, the helicopter crossed its path hoping to beat its prey to the end. This time, it wasn't so lucky. The car smashed right into the tail of the bird, sending it spiraling into the building adjacent to the one she had just flung herself out of.

Twenty feet below, the car smashed to the ground looking worse for wear than thought possible. Shego checked her side mirror, smiling proudly as she watched the newly born flames quickly ignite all the old wood.

The car shook violently, making horrible grinding noises, as she pushed it forward and hopefully away from the mafia. For good.

* * *

"Are we gonna have to steal another car?"

"If worse comes to worst, Kimmie, we may have to. I don't want to end up with another vehicle like _that _though," Shego had dumped her previous wheels a few blocks behind, when it finally gave out on her. She didn't blame the thing for all she had put it though, but she still expected more from a vehicle.

Kim just followed in silence, knowing the woman didn't want a factory model just as much as she didn't want to steal one, but it didn't seem like she had another one hidden away.

Several buildings ahead, a pair of doors were open and some form of techno music seemed to be pouring out. It seemed unlikely that anyone of any use would be up at this hour, especially with the genre of music playing. Shego made a bee line for the opening, towing Kim behind.

She reached the doors, kicking one aside with strong force and marched her way inside. It was a fairly hollow garage with carts and benches of tools decorating the place. Various car parts were strewn between the tools and about the floor, together with various lighting apparatuses.

"Come out, you worthless bag of flesh!" Shego snarled into the empty garage, "It's finally time you put that lazy, good for nothing, ass of yours to work!"

"Shego!"

The older woman ignored Kim's protests as she waited for a response. When none came immediately, she called out once more, "If you don't get your useless ass out here, I'm burning the entire place down, and I hope everything that's precious to you is in here!"

Kim glared at Shego, wondering what the hell was wrong with the woman. If she needed something, threatening should be the last resort.

Not five seconds later, a burly man with a receding hairline whipped around the corner in the far part of the garage, cursing with a heavy Russian accent, "You better start walking, bitch, or I'm…" he looked up, crowbar readied in his hand, before astonishment visibly took over his features, "Sheila?"

Shego grinned, watching his surprise, "Been a while."

The hint of a smile appeared on the man's weathered face, as he discarded the weapon on the counter and made his way over to her, "And what deep dark hole did you crawl out of?"

He reached at her with open arms, pulling her into a bear hug which she happily accepted, "I told you I needed to lay low for a while. Getting things prepared for the big race and all."

He released her from the tight hold, as his gaze wandered over to Kim, "And who's she?"

Shego waved it off, "My protégé. Don't worry, she's clean," she watched the redhead from the corner of her eye, before turning back, "But as much as I'd love to stay and chat, I need a favour from you."

The corner of the man's mouth moved up, hinting at a smirk, "Well, I think I have just the thing you need." He nodded to the side, suggesting they both follow, which Shego did without any protest.

Kim followed behind, still very confused and quite thrown back by everything she had just witnessed. Was she even in the same dimension anymore?

The man led them to a secondary section of the garage, flicking on the lights and illuminating something very fine in the center of the room. Shego crossed her arms, a very pleased smile crossing her face, "_That _is exactly what I need."

The man stood beside her, almost emotionless, "That is the newest of the Pagani family. Fully loaded with upgrades done by yours truly. That thing could be launched off a building and land in one piece."

"Not exactly my colours," Shego observed before turning to the man, expectantly, "May I?"

He looked back with a blank stare, both holding their grounds for the moment.

Kim watched, half expecting a fight to break out. It was impossible to know what the man was feeling, but Shego didn't seem to mind in the least. Even her shoulders looked relaxed.

"Fine," the man was the first to give in, still showing no emotion, "I guess I do owe you."

As he dug into his pocket for the keys, Shego wore a victorious smirk. She held out her hand as the man dropped the keys into her palm. The older woman sauntered over, covering up her excitement as she slid into the driver's seat of the car. She inhaled deeply, the 'fresh off the factory line' smell filling her nose. This car was _very _new and _very _expensive.

She removed herself from the car with much hesitation, confronting the man once more, "Thank you. I guess I owe you now, eh?"

He snorted, "You win that race, we'll call it even. But you better win or I'll have your hide."

Shego turned, walking back towards the car, "You'll have to kill me and skin me yourself, old man."

"I'll bring my sharpest knives," he threatened back.

Kim walked past the man, heading directly to the passenger side. The man seemed to pay next to no attention to her, watching stonily as they got into the car and drove off in one of his best possessions. Shego made sure to spin the tires leaving the garage, earning half a smirk from the bulky man.

As the older woman pressed so lightly on the gas, she could feel the force behind this thing. It was far from any factory model the best money could buy and if the man was as correct in his statement as he usually was, this thing would win her the race.

Shego hummed her approval, feeling the leather and the horsepower at her disposal. Now all that was left to do was take down Mafia Boy.

* * *

**Beaver Valley Expressway**

"Shego… You're still smiling."

"Yes, Kimmie. This is the result of a _very_ good night," the older woman sped through Cleveland, quickly getting back on the right track and into the race. The sun was already above the mountains, signaling a bunch of wasted time, but despite it all, Shego had barely lost her place.

"Yeah, but it's almost… _creepy_."

Shego gave her a skeptical look, "My happiness is _creepy _to you?"

"No, but that smile was," Kim rubbed her face, "Who was he anyways? And why did he call you Sheila?"

"Maxim. He hates the name and prefers 'Mac' instead of his Russian roots. He was the only guy who helped me when no one else would, in spite of everything," she sighed, "and he called me that because that's the name I gave him."

Kim was shocked at Shego's openness, though she didn't let it show. For once, the woman was just sharing without having to bargain for it, "Why did you give him that name?"

She shrugged, "As much as I thanked the guy for saving me, I needed an alias on the streets. I knew he wouldn't tell anyone that he was helping me, but I knew that if I went by 'Shego' people like you would have no problem finding me. It also helps with credit lines and such."

Kim thought for a moment. She was right. Every time she searched for anything on the woman, it all came up blank as if she had literally dropped off the face of the world. "So, you go by Sheila now?"

Shego glared, "Call me that, Princess, and I'll rip that pretty little face of yours right off."

* * *

**New York, New York  
**

As soon as the older woman had gotten onto the freeway, the speed of the vehicle was nearly two hundred miles per hour and that wasn't even the top speed of the car. She gunned it like a madwoman, taking place after place in the race as if she wasn't even trying.

Her driving had gotten messier, still safer than her opposition, but it wasn't as clean as it had been in San Francisco. She was being hasty, wanting to just finish the race and still be on top. And it seemed like she was doing exactly that.

As the last of the few of racers disappeared behind her, she cracked a maniac smile. Whether it was from being hunted down, the lack of sleep or the fact she had finally lost her mind, she continued smiling, knowing exactly who she was gaining on.

Kim couldn't help but worry a little at the horrific excuse of a smile. She wasn't sure if being hunted with the mafia was quite as scary as her driver at the moment, "Uh… Shego? Why are you smiling like that?"

The smile spread at the acknowledgement, "Because Kimmie. There is one vehicle between us and the finish line. And I'll be damned if I let that bastard win. This one is _all mine_."

Kim watched ahead, as they entered an underpass in the city. Just ahead, a familiar pair of tail lights glowed dimly in the early evening sun. She felt the car pull forward just a little faster, knowing her driver had come to the same conclusion. It all came down to this.

The traffic was low at this time of day, but it wasn't entirely dead. Still, the course was leading them into the heart of the city and straight out the other side.

Shego followed behind the Aston Martin, not wanting to pass quite yet. There were still a few miles between their current position and the end. The cars raced down several back alleyways, crossing main streets every couple hundred feet before drifting out onto one of them.

One behind the other, they drifted around a couple corners, Shego finally pulling out in front inside one of them. She pressed on the gas, staying just barely ahead as Kim read out what was left of the directions.

They flew through several more back alleys and truck loading zones, keeping away from most of the traffic. Even if it was thinning out, you crash, you lose.

Shego grimaced as she rounded another corner onto a main road, the Mafia Boy passing her this time. She snorted, knowing she couldn't do anything about it now except wait behind for the time to strike.

The highway exited off onto a bridge, only they were in the wrong side of the road. Shego stared ahead intently, keeping to the middle of the highway and making sure to dodge whatever traffic was coming her way in the lane. If headlights appeared out of nowhere, she'd be done for.

Kim exhaled a sigh of relief as the sped off the bridge and back onto the correct side. Shego took the exit, close behind the Aston Martin, as she waited for her chance to strike.

The road they ended up on was fairly straight, with corners that could handle excessive speed. At just the right moment, she could take the lead once more. She prepared to pass him, on the outside this time, and flanked him for the next corner.

She forgot about the weapon he was carrying, as she heard the sound of cracking glass that threw her off the road and into a construction pit below. This time, the driver's side window had cracked but not shattered, saving both passenger and drive this time.

There was no way she was going to be thrown out of the race that easily. As the road disappeared underground, she turned on her lights and kept racing. If she was lucky, it wasn't going to end here. Thankfully, the workers were done for the night and there was nobody around for her to run over.

She sped along the half-assed dirt road, crumbling scaffolding as she went. It was hard to control the car at that speed on a dirt road. As she had predicted, the road had come to an end, although not in the place she wanted it. It ended right at the underground metro tracks, letting her drive right onto them.

A sinking feeling hardened in the pit of her stomach, knowing that these bloody things seemed to come up at all the wrong times. She gunned it onto the tracks, a light appearing before her at the end. She swerved to the opposite side as the horn erupted in the tight cavern and a speeding trail whipped by.

She stomped on the gas harder, wanting to be out of there as soon as possible. She heard another horn sound and a bright light shine in her rear view mirror. The woman cursed, racing just a little slower than the metro train. It was gaining on her fast, and as of the moment, there was no way off this side of the track, a thick cement barricade between the two.

She rounded a lazy corner, and just up ahead, a break in the wall between the two tracks was illuminated. Shego swerved over, the train passing by inches behind her and blaring its horn. But she didn't celebrate yet. She was still underground. A light flashed up ahead, causing her to veer off the tracks and onto an adjacent road made of dirt, safely away from the trains for now.

She skidded along the road, trying to gain traction and ground as she sped through more construction work, trying not to crash the scaffolding as she went. She drifted around a sharp corner in the dark section and shot into a tunnel.

It ended at an empty station, still under as much construction as the rest of the underground. She sped over the platform, vaulting off and onto the tracks again. The tunnel narrowed to a single line forcing her onward with no way back. Up ahead, the wall slanted down and Shego grinned that mad smile.

Kim barely took notice as she focused on the road ahead, trying to make sense of everything that was happening so quickly.

Suddenly, a bright light appeared ahead making it a head on collision with the train. Kim tensed as Shego swerved onto the slanted wall, missing the train by milliseconds. The speed they were moving at kept the car along the wall as the train whizzed by just outside the vehicle. Shego rode the corner, clinging to the wall as another train shot by without warning.

The wall eased off, giving them back the tracks and an end to the tunnel. Shego shot out, taking a turn over the edge of a developing track and onto the highway below. The Pagani didn't have a single scratch on its body.

Surprisingly, Shego hadn't lost any time in the train tunnels, the Aston Martin's taillights speeding many yards ahead. Shego smirked, stepping on the gas harder now that she was on the familiar asphalt.

The road ventured through the industrial part of the city, with warehouses, loading bays, and hauling trucks along the road. Even whipping by at the speed they were traveling, it was easy to see they were getting close to the ocean. The background slowly shifted as it took on cargo containers and loading cranes.

As Shego drifted around another corner, gaining on the Mafia Boy, an entire shipyard of cargo containers appeared, like the beginning of a dangerous maze. Shego tried to take the straightest route, barely turning around the containers in hopes that one wouldn't turn up out of nowhere.

Both vehicles vaulted out of the loading docks, drifting around the last corner of the race and turning it into an all-out drag race for first place. Shego gained on the guy, riding beside him in hopes to get ahead just enough to win.

Everyone knows there can only be one winner and that's how this was going to play out. One car pulled ahead of the other, slowly putting themselves in front of the opponent. That vehicle took the lead by mere feet as it crashed through the metal gate counting as the finish line.

Because of the incredible speed which the vehicle behind was traveling at, the edge of the crashed gate caught under the front tire causing the car to flip. The momentum carried it, sending it rolling and smashing along the pavement, effectively causing it to slow to a deadly stop.

There was no way someone could survive that, and even if by miracles they did, they would be paralyzed for the rest of their lives.

The winning vehicle ended up in an empty warehouse, skidding to a stop before a wireless camera. The camera identified the deep red car as the winner, signalling out to all the other racers that it was all over.


	6. Chapter 6

**Downtown New York**

"Sheila Greene? Seriously?"

"Shut it, Kimmie."

Kim couldn't help the grin plastered on her face, "I just can't believe that's the name you've been going under this entire time."

"I don't see why you're getting so worked up over this," Shego grumbled, irritably.

"Because I had no idea the 'almighty Shego' was Miss Sheila Greene," she mocked, jokingly, "No wonder you were impossible to find."

Shego rolled her eyes, exiting the elevator and heading straight for the door on the opposite side of the corridor. There was only one suite on this floor, being it was the top of the building. She swiped the card key and let herself in, an awestruck redhead in tow.

Shego smirked, hearing a small gasp from said woman, "What, has the great Kim Possible never seen the penthouse suite in a New York Hotel before?"

The younger woman was silent for a moment as she looked around the room and took it all in, "Not one like this. Who knew Sheila Greene could afford such luxuries."

Shego growled, "Use that name one more time and I'm kicking you out for good."

"Got it."

To the left of the suite was a kitchen with an island bar along the outside, three stools in place. The kitchen itself looked as good as it would in any high end apartment. A living area was set up in the middle of the room with expensive looking furniture and glass tables. Along the right side was a door that most likely led to the bedroom with an adjacent bathroom. The wall behind the furniture was glass with a sliding door that led to a balcony with its own set of dining room furniture. Although it was dark by this point, the city lights still made for a pretty view.

Kim eyed the expensive décor around the place, "You get the prize money tomorrow and you spent your last fifty dollars on snacks along the way, so how did you afford this?"

"I knew I was heading this way for the race and paid ahead of time," Shego headed for the bedroom, "I'm taking a shower first, and if you can handle it Cupcake, mix me a drink of some sort. Gotta relax the body _and_ the mind."

The door closed behind the woman and Kim was left standing in the middle of the room. Seconds later, the sound of running water came through the walls.

_She didn't take her time, _Kim thought as she headed for the kitchen. She didn't exactly know what the ex-villainess' tastes were, so she just threw a few things together, including something special of her own. She knew Shego could use the _additive_ and paid it no mind as she mixed the drink.

The pale woman had taken her time, using the scalding water to relax her stiff muscles after the long haul across the states. With the coolness of her skin, she could hardly feel the heat difference in the water. All that mattered was it felt _good_.

Shego emerged from the bedroom to find Kim stretching her arms as she watched the landscape from the window, "When you're done Kimmie, the showers free."

Kim finished stretching, turning to Shego. She was surprised by the minimal amount of clothing she was wearing; bra, panties and a deep green silk robe that hadn't been done up. Her hair was up in a towel, kicking off the entire look, "Sure took your time."

"Hey, you could've joined at any time if I was taking that long," Shego crossed her arms, smirking, as she watched the redhead observe her attire.

Kim rolled her eyes, heading for the bedroom to cover up from the light blush. Of course, this didn't go unnoticed, "By the way, there's a set of black silk pajamas for you. I asked them for black and green sleepwear and they gave me a set of each instead of one set of two colours."

"Thanks."

Shego grinned before adding, "If you get lonely in there, just call."

The only response she got was the door shutting. Shego chuckled, heading for the island where her pre-made drink sat.

Kim had taken her time in the shower too. It was the first shower in days and it felt like heaven on earth. She felt dirty from not showering in so long and she didn't even want to know how she _smelled._ After a fair amount of time, and with a lot of reluctance, she shut off the hot water. She didn't bother putting her hair up like Shego, drying it out best she could before going to find her sleepwear.

Shego had been right. Lying on the bed just outside the bathroom was a pair black silk pajama pants with a matching top. Her robe lay beside that with undergarments. She chose the pants and top, moving the rest to a chair on the side.

The realization that neither of them had clean clothes hit her as she wandered out from the bedroom. How were they supposed to go anywhere in New York if their clothing was dirty, and not to mention, smelly? She'd have to bear it until she could find a Club Banana or something.

Kim looked over to see Shego lounging on the balcony, feet up on the table as she sipped the drink. Her robe still wasn't done up, looking like liquid as it hung off the chair. Her pale skin was illuminated by the city lights below, giving it a strange glow in the yellow light.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Shego stated, as Kim took a seat on the opposite side of the table.

The redhead nodded, looking over the expanse of city that lay out before them. It was beautiful for a city scape and they were very high up above it all, making the view even better.

Kim couldn't suppress a yawn, even if the night was still technically young. She'd been up for many hours straight. They'd both been up a long time.

"Tired?" It wasn't really a question, but Shego asked anyways.

"Mmm, yeah," Kim admitted, a little embarrassed that she let it slip.

"Don't blame ya. We've come a long way in a short time," Shego downed the remainder of her drink, "You make a mean drink, by the way. Never tasted anything like it."

The redhead shrugged, "Learned a thing of two from this woman once. Saved her daughter from getting eaten by sharks, so she offered to teach me a few tricks of the trade."

"She knew her stuff, that's for sure," Shego pushed herself from the seat, looking over the scene one last time before turning to the younger woman, "Ready to hit the hay?"

"Thought you'd never ask," she said, mirroring the woman's moves.

Shego led the way into the room, placing the glass on the counter as she went, "I hope you don't mind sharing the bed. That or you're getting the couch."

"As long as you don't get touchy-feely, I'm fine."

Shego grinned, "No promises."

Kim collapsed onto the right side, exhaustion enveloping her immediately. Shego shed the robe and towel, before crawling into bed after hitting the lights. She felt about ready to pass out. With the race completed and won, she could rest easy with the knowledge that she had a lot of money under her belt.

The redhead nestled in comfortably beneath the feather down sheets, muttering a goodnight. She smiled when she received no response, the pale woman already unconscious; she followed suit right after.

* * *

Kim had woken up mid-afternoon, missing all of the morning and good deal of the day. She left Shego sleeping, knowing the woman could use a lot more sleep than she had been letting on.

As much as she hadn't wanted to, she put back on her dirty clothes, making note to get rid of them as soon as possible. Shego could probably use her own set, too.

During her 'morning' coffee, the small device she had used during the race lit up, making a small beeping noise. Kim wandered over, seeing the screen displaying directions and instructions. She picked it up and took a spare card key as well as she headed out into the city.

The first thing she did was buy herself new clothing. She knew Shego's favorites, even picking something out for her until she herself could buy what she wanted. She had no problem using her own money, having saved up over the years. It was her way of saying thanks.

Her next course of action was following the device's instructions. Along the way, she wandered among the people crowded sidewalks, not minding in the least at the fast pace of the city. She even stopped for an expensive late lunch in one of the cafés along the street.

When she reached the destination, she traded the device in for a briefcase through an old food elevator system. It seemed the man with the money didn't want to be given a face. She figured it best to let the sleeping dog lie, taking the briefcase and wandering her way back.

She didn't mind the business of the city, taking it all in stride as she made her way back as the sun began to decline. She hadn't been out very long but making a late start had that effect.

She stopped in a restaurant, having a light dinner and making sure to take enough for leftovers. She knew that Shego would be hungry when she woke up, having not eaten a solid meal in a couple days and who knew how long before that.

With bags and briefcase in hand, she arrived back at the room, leaving the still unopened case on the island and the bags back in the bedroom. Shego was still fast asleep in bed and it seemed the woman was enjoying the long rest. The angry line between her eyebrows was gone, making her look much more at ease than she had all week.

The rest of the evening was spent watching the skyline devour the sun and fade back into the dark once more. She took her leave early again, joining the still sleeping woman back in bed.

* * *

Shego woke nicely for the first time in ages. She rolled over, stretching to wake herself from the sleepy state. The sun filtering in from between the curtains said it was late afternoon, maybe even early evening. She smirked, knowing there were a lot of hours between an early night and a late afternoon the next day.

She got out of bed, going straight for the shower. Usually, she had coffee before she even began the day, but it was already a late start and she felt _damn good._

She put on clothing from the day before, not noticing the new bags in the corner of the room. With a near bounce to her step, she left the room; she felt like she could take on the world.

That was, until she saw the briefcase sitting on the island, Kimmie dressed in clothing she hadn't seen before and eating a plate of some kind of pasta at the other end.

The younger woman swallowed her mouthful, grinning up at Shego, "Look who's finally up from the dead."

She dismissed it immediately, a guarded look in her eyes as she walked up beside the island, "Where did you get that case from?"

Kim waved her fork, "I picked it up for you yesterday when the device went off. I picked up some new clothing too, but it doesn't look like you saw it."

"Yesterday?" Shego gave her a questioning stare, "We just got in yesterday."

"You slept all of yesterday," Kim looked down at her meal momentarily, "I'll admit that was partially my fault. I did save you some dinner, but it was so good I ended up eating it."

Shego ignored most of what Kim said, eyes narrowing, "And how was it your fault?"

"I mixed sleeping pills into your drink," Kim said in an amused tone, "I thought you could use the rest."

What Kim had mistaken for Shego's version of mirth was actually the complete opposite of that.

"How _dare_ you!" Shego growled infuriated, slamming her fist onto the counter, "What in the _fucking world_ would make you think slipping sleeping pills into my drink was a good idea?"

Kim stood up rigidly across the room, suddenly prepared for a fight against the enraged woman she had unknowingly provoked, "You clearly needed sleep plus there was hardly any risk with the alcohol to drug ratio. Don't tell me you don't feel better."

Truth be told, she did feel better but that wasn't her point, "What if someone had attacked while I was out? What if you couldn't handle the invaders? What if I did actually die from that concoction? _What fucking then?_" She enunciated her last few words, trying to make her point clear to the other woman.

"I would've been able to fight them off and you know it. Plus, I wouldn't purposely try to kill you. What would've been the point of saving your ass when I did? You should know that by now," she held her case strong.

She ignored the last part, "What are you gonna do when a bunch of people _with_ _fucking guns_ break in, huh? You couldn't get rid of all of them before at least one shoots you. You're no good to anyone if you're dead!" Shego clenched her fists tighter, unable to release her pent up wrath.

Kim scoffed, "And you would have fared much better? You don't even have your powers! You'd be no better off than me."

It was in that instant that Kim knew she had messed up big time. It may have been a valid reasoning in the argument, but that was a low blow for anyone, especially knowing Shego's current situation.

Kim watched the light in Shego's eyes change. The angry glare she held before became icily livid, freezing the room with hate. Her nostrils flared as she stared her opponent down another moment, pouring the feeling into her adversary.

And just like that, she was gone with nothing more than the reverberating slam of the door to account for her loss. There weren't even footsteps towards the elevator on the opposite side of the floor. Kim stood for a moment, stuck in place from the force of the glare.

That look in Shego's eyes. There had been so much loathing in that one stare, and yet, there was something there that she couldn't place her finger on. Something behind all that fiery rage.

Kim clenched her fists, before collapsing back into the chair she had been sitting on, her appetite now completely lost.

"Dammit," she hissed.

Time passed by, Kim completely oblivious to it. She was hunched over in the chair she had fallen into as she held her head in her hands and went through the argument in her head, over and over again; realizing how bad her words had really been; watching the look in Shego's eyes moments before she disappeared.

The more she thought it over, the more she realized how much of an ass she had made of herself. If she had been listening, maybe she would have noticed what Shego was actually trying to say behind her words. Then maybe she could have made sense of the look behind her rage; then maybe they wouldn't be here.

She rubbed her face a few good times before coming to a set resolution. Apologizing would never work with that woman and she knew it. Instead, she would have to go out and find her and bring her back, hopefully unharmed. Dangerous people were out there, but god only knows what that woman could do herself with such a destructive nature.

Kim sighed, looking up from her hands, eyebrows scrunching together in confusion. The room was now completely dark, with no sign of the sun. The only lighting in the room came from the other buildings and street lamps far below.

_Guess I've been thinking longer than I realized._

She shoved herself from the seat and wandered to the huge picture window overlooking the city. The night life was just getting started and Shego was somewhere down below. There was no way of telling if the woman was close by or halfway across the city by now. Chances were, she had gotten brand new attire, adding to the difficulty of the search.

Kim sighed, grabbing a card key before heading out into the night life of New York City. She _would_ find Shego, even if it took all night.

* * *

She had been through countless establishments, just in the area alone, with absolutely no luck. None of the bartenders or bouncers had seen the woman she had described, dampening her hope every time. She hit up all kinds of places, from bars to clubs, both straight and not. Knowing the woman, she probably thought Kim was too much of a prude to enter such a place.

For all she knew, Shego could have gone back to the hotel by now. Maybe she never went out. Maybe she went somewhere to vent her anger.

Kim exhaled, rounding another corner to start on the next block. She entered the first place she came across, not bothering with the name or the orientation. There was no bouncer at the door, so she let herself in. This place wasn't so different from the fifty other places she ventured into, music playing to fill the silence between all the different conversations being held. She scanned over the crowd, watching many people talk with one another. This place was nothing but women and it was obvious to see it wasn't a straight bar.

Before she could go much further in, a woman stopped her, asking for ID. The redhead was prepared, flashing it almost immediately. With a nod of her head, she handed it back.

Before the woman could go back to whatever she was doing previously, Kim interjected, "Hey, have you seen a woman a little taller than me with dark hair and really pale skin that almost seems to be green?"

She'd gotten more than several strange looks when asking these questions, so she was prepared to receive it. However, this was not the case, "Yeah, she's sitting at the bar," The woman looked her up and down, before adding, "She has great tastes. I don't mean to start anything but she's talking up some pretty blond so you might want to hurry."

"Oh, were not-" she started, but was cut off as the woman winked at her and walked off to some other patrons, "…together."

She did as she was told, making her way over to the bar, looking over faces in search for the woman that might have been Shego. I mean, how many people had the same hue to their skin? Sure enough, she caught sight of her pale skin and recognized the woman immediately. Even with the change of clothes, there was no doubt it was Shego.

She was sitting at the bar, leaning on one arm while the other held some sort of cocktail. Like the woman had said, she was chatting up some pretty blond who seemed to enjoy the attention. The sight made something in the pit of her stomach bubble. Jealousy? Nah, couldn't be. Why should she be jealous?

"Am I interrupting something?" she walked in, looking at both women. The blond gave her a questioning look but otherwise kept her mouth shut.

Shego, on the other hand, was quite alright with speaking. Not at all literally.

"And what can I get for a pretty lil' redhead like you?" Her words were slurred, making it obvious she had _quite _a bit to drink. She didn't even seem to recognize her.

"Nothing, thanks, Shego. We should probably go. I think you've had enough for the night."

"Woah, Princess. There ain't no Shego here. And we've only jus' met. Dontcha think we should get to know each other better before I go home with ya?" Shego paused for a moment, squinting back at Kim, almost looking to be in thought, "Y'know, you kinda remind me of this girl I use'ta know. She had hair sames as yours, maybe a bit longer. Y'look a lil' too old, though." She took a sip of the drink.

Kim stared for a moment. The woman was obviously so wasted she couldn't remember a damn thing, "Do you know what year it is?"

"Somethin' with a two in it?" She waved her hand dismissively before taking another sip and deciding to down the entire thing, "Close enough, eh?"

The blond sitting across from her giggled, quite tipsy as well.

The woman didn't even know the date. This was gonna be one long night.

"Y'sure are a looker. Lemmie get you sumthin'," she looked to the other side of the bar, "Maria! I need something for my friend over here! And me too!"

A shorter woman with light brunette hair made her way over, looking a little more than irritated, "And I thought I told you you're cut for the night. You've had enough for several sailors to pass out and you're still standing."

"But you know ya love me. Just one more round. For th'ladies, please?" Shego put on her most pleading face, hoping it would work.

The woman looked up, looking towards Kim. Their eyes met briefly and Kim shook her head slightly, knowing it wasn't a good idea to let the woman drink any more.

Maria looked back at Shego, a stern look, "I think you've done enough damage for one night. Plus you've reached your tab limit. Look what you have in front of you," she gestured to both women before her, "Something tells me the redhead will be more fun." She gave Kim a wink, causing her to blush slightly.

"But Maria-"

"Don't you 'but Maria' me. We're going to be closing soon and you've been here all night. Time to get your ass out of my chair," the brunette reached for something behind the counter, producing a cup of something, "Drink up."

Kim offered the woman a silent thank you through her look, before digging into her back pocket. She produced a credit card, prepared to pay the bill. "How much do I owe you?"

"Two grand."

Kim stared at the woman, freezing in motion to hand it over, "_Two thousand dollars?_"

The woman looked down for a moment, producing a receipt twice as tall as herself, "Two thousand, one hundred and seventy eight. I'll take the straight two to make it easier." She looked apologetic, knowing that was one big bill to pay for someone's tab.

Kim shook her head at the pale woman's ability to drink, astounded that she had that much and was still somewhat functioning. She handed over the card, letting Maria punch in everything to pay the bill. She looked back at a liquored Shego, wondering just how distraught this woman was.

After several glasses of water, both women left the bar, Shego staggering more than anything. Kim hailed a cab for the many blocks they had to travel; it could have been walked but the older woman was in no shape to do so. Inside the cab, the older woman laid back, seeming extremely relaxed in the vehicle as she stared at the ceiling.

"Y'know, you kinda remind me of this girl I use'ta know," although still quite bad, her speech was getting a little more recognizable.

Kim was a little annoyed with the woman and exhausted for trekking all over New York in search of her, her tone showing exactly that, "Do I now?"

"Yeah. What was her name?" Shego appeared to be in a deep thought process, "I think it started with a 'K' er something."

"Kim?" the redhead offered, humouring the older woman.

"Yeah! Yeah that's it!" Her words slurred, excitedly, before she went back to her reminiscing state, "Kimmie. She was a real goody goody though, an' I never had much of a likin' for those types…" She trailed off, tiredly staring at the roof.

Kim's interest piqued slightly, knowing the woman was still in her stupor and probably just saying things, "And why not?"

Shego blinked slowly before continuing, "'Cause they're just too good for everything, but that's what made it fun. We were on opposite terms so we were always fighting with each other. It was nice."

Kim gave the woman a skeptical look, not completely understanding everything she just said.

Before the conversation could continue, the cab pulled up to their hotel. Kim paid the cabbie, collected Shego, and started the trek up to the hotel room.

It was on the elevator that the woman spoke up again, "Opposites attract, y'know. Like stupid magnets."

The redhead looked at Shego, who had an arm wrapped around her shoulder for support as she supported her around the waist, "What are you talking about?"

"Magnets. Stupid things that people can't explain. North and south attract each other. They don't have to like it but it happens. An' nobody's happy when magnets work, 'cause sometimes only half of them do."

Kim could only blink, unsure of what to say after that speech. She wasn't exactly sure where this was coming from, "Why are magnets important?"

"They're not. Cause magnets don't work out in the end," Shego adopted a sad look, her eyes distanced as if recalling something.

Kim let her be for the time, not wanting to evoke any stronger emotions in the already down woman. In no time, they made it to the room, relieved the night was finally drawing to its end.

She led the older woman to the room, who promptly removed most of her clothing in a messily fashion before crawling into bed. Kim shook her head before getting ready for bed herself.

She looked at the woman already downed on the bed, "Shego?"

She received no response, which was to be expected, but the small movement of the blanket said she hadn't died yet.

Kim rubbed her face before making her way over to her side of the bed, peeling back the covers and slipping into the cool sheets. At this point, it was as comfortable as it would ever be after pacing the streets for a few hours. As long as the woman wasn't dead somewhere, she was good.

The redhead finally settled in, sleep almost consuming her immediately until a pair of cold hands found their way around her waist. Before she could turn over and protest, she felt someone snuggle into her hair, quite content with themselves. A small smile leaked onto her face as she drifted off with a cool body pressed against her back.

* * *

Shego awoke to the feeling of drums going off in her head. A hand came up from under the covers, rubbing her face as she tried to expel such loud noises from waking her. When she failed, all she could do was roll over and curl further into the sheets.

The pounding in her head kept her awake, when everything else told her to keep resting. After several more moments of failed attempts at sleep, she rolled onto her back. The room was still dark, and for all she knew, it was still early morning. She gave an irritated groan as she went to move the covers, only to stop as the sound bounced around the inside of her skull.

She rubbed her face again, trying to shake the headache now forming. _What the hell happened last night? Feels like I got hit by a train… or seven. _

She pushed herself up in bed, her head spinning as she righted herself. She blinked a few times, getting used to the darkness before running a hand though her hair. She couldn't remember a damn thing after arguing with Kimmie about drugging her.

Shego grimaced as the prospect that she had been drugged again entered her brain. _If she did it again, so help me I will tear-_

Before Shego could finished, a soft knock sounded at the door before the woman in question entered. Harsh, early afternoon sunlight filtered through the opening, blinding the older woman and sending her head though another wave of pain. She collapsed back onto the bed, shielding her eyes before groaning.

"You deserve everything you get," the voice was soft, even with the displeasure in the tone.

She heard the door shut, successfully locking out the painful light. Shego looked up from her covers, slowly coming to a seated position once more.

"What were you thinking to do something so stupid?"

Shego rubbed her eye, before answering, "To tell you the truth, Princess, I don't remember a damn thing." Her voice was raspy and her throat felt like sandpaper as she tried to speak. Had she been screaming all night?

"Not at all?" the tone was the same as before.

The older woman's head hurt too much to use sarcasm at the moment. "No."

She heard Kim sigh before making her way over, "Here. I brought you water."

Shego reached out, taking the offered glass in the darkened room. She took a small sip before realizing just how thirsty she was, taking a few bigger gulps. An uneasy feeling set into her stomach forcing her to stop for a moment.

"I swear if you've drugged me again..."

"I didn't. You wandered off to a bar and got piss drunk. I had to save your sorry ass again and bring you back. Do you know how many bars I had to search through to find the one you were in?" her voice was still soft, but it carried an angry tone and something more.

Even in this state, Shego picked up on it almost immediately, "Awe, you caring for me, Kimmie? How sweet of you, but I was perfectly fine."

"Over two thousand dollars in alcohol isn't fine, Shego. That's deadly. You can't remember a thing. I thought you wanted to stay alive long enough to try and get your powers back," Kim crossed her arms.

Shego put the now empty glass down and removed her covers in an attempt to get up from bed, "I plan to, but I can have a little more fun along the way." She pushed herself from the bed, swaying slightly on uneasy legs.

Kim was at her side immediately, holding her steady. The older woman pushed her off with little force, "I can stand on my own, thank you very much," she snapped.

Kim stayed silent, watching as Shego made her way to the bathroom, keeping the lights off. She came back to her bed when she finished, happy to return to the comfort of the sheets. For now, she just wanted to rest, despite the pounding in her head. She promptly ignored the redhead as she lay with her back to her adversary.

"What if the mafia had found you? What if you had died from alcohol poisoning? What then? Everything you worked so hard for would have gone to waste, Shego. Is it really worth that for a small amount of 'fun'?"

After a couple minutes of silence, Kim sighed, soft footsteps and the small click of the door signalling her leave. Shego rolled her eyes, settling into bed, hopefully to sleep away this awful hangover.

"Didn't know you cared that much."

* * *

Hours, and many glasses of water later, Shego felt the inevitable growling for food. She felt a little better than when she woke up the first time but couldn't shake the remaining feeling that still clouded her brain. She knew food would help with that.

After dressing herself in the silk bathrobe, she made her way to the main lounge, the dying afternoon light a little less painful than before. She rubbed her face once more before heading directly towards the fridge, not knowing what she would find there. She opened it, discovering a whole lot of nothing. The fridge was completely bare.

She frowned, hearing her stomach growl out in protest once more. She was gonna have to find something to eat and soon. There was always the idea of going out for dinner but she didn't feel like going out or even getting changed. Room service it was.

She took a look around the room, not seeing the redhead anywhere in sight. Maybe she had gone out to dinner by herself and left her to her own devices. Shego sniffed, _Fine. Dinner for one it is._

Shego called down, and less than an hour later, a knocking came at the door, signalling the arrival of her food. With little more than a thank you, she grabbed the cart of food and began a feast set for royalty.

She ate on the deck, feet propped up on the table as she looked down onto the slowing city, watching the sunlight fade and the crowds below died down. The breeze through the city was warm, showing that fall hadn't completely settled in the city. She took a deep breath; with a full stomach and relaxed as ever, life was good.

She heard the sliding door open and close behind her, as someone stood to the side of the nearly empty cart of food.

"How much did you eat?" came a slightly disbelieving voice.

Shego waved her hand lazily, "Enough to feed three bears after hibernation. A full stomach is a happy stomach."

"Guess you don't need more food then," Kim placed down a carry out container, before joining the older woman in the adjacent seat.

Shego smirked contentedly, "Nope."

Both watched the sun begin to disappear behind the skyline, finally ending the day. It was Kim who broke the city filled silence, "What now?"

The older woman quirked an eyebrow, looking over at the redhead with a half lidded eye, "We sleep?"

The redhead cracked a small smile, "No, I mean we're done with the race, we've recovered from it and you have a bunch of cash. What are you going to do now?"

Shego returned her gaze to the darkening city, thinking over everything for a moment, "There's a gala here in two days. All of the best doctors will be attending and I plan to go."

"You going to crash the gala?" her tone was casual.

Shego shrugged, "I'm gonna sneak into it but I'm not going to ruin it for everyone. I need them on friendly terms, not feeling threatened by me."

"Is it formal?"

"Yep. Easier to blend in that way, too."

Kim thought about the idea for a moment, not hesitating to ask, "Mind if I join?"

Shego snorted, "Haven't you gotten yourself into enough trouble?"

"Not nearly as much as you," the redhead wore a cheeky grin.

Shego rolled her eyes, getting up from the chair. Before she headed back into the room, she spoke up, "Let me think about it."

It was Kim's turn to roll her eyes, picking up the leftovers and following after the older woman, "Well I'd like to know ahead of time. Going to need dresses and all."

"Yeah? And what makes you think I'll agree to this?"

"Because I'm Dr. Possible's daughter and we could walk right in instead of having to sneak in with evening gowns on."

Shego smirked. The redhead was becoming more devious by the second, "The Kimmie I know would _never_ try help out a criminal with their evil plan."

Kim shrugged, "It's not an evil plan. I said I would help where I could and this is a win-win scenario."

The older woman gave her a questioning look.

"You get an easy entrance to the gala and I get to stick around a little longer," Kim said nonchalantly, placing the leftovers in the fridge.

"How long do you plan to stick around for?" She sounded annoyed to toy with the younger woman.

"As long as I feel like," Kim stated smugly, walking to the other side of the counter.

"Oh yeah?" Shego growled, "Maybe I'll just kick your ass out right now."

"We'll see about that," Kim said triumphantly.

Both women immediately lowered into a fighting stance, ready to take the other out. The only difference between now and their previous brawls was the terms of friendliness this was on; half hidden smiles still behind fierce looks.

Shego lunged towards Kim, swinging her leg in an attempt to land a kick. She saw it coming and ducked, sweeping her leg like she had days before. This time, the result was quite different. Shego had seen it coming and vaulted out of the way.

"Looks like someone is actually well rested."

"Nah, this is just me on drugs."

Punches and kicks were traded with blocks and dodges in the spacious area of the room. After being cooped up for a few days traveling across the country, this actually felt _good_.

One of Kim's next punches was aimed for Shego's head, which she easily dodged and grabbed. Both locked eyes, one in shock, one with a victorious smirk, as Shego rolled back and heaved the redhead back with her legs, sending her sprawling. Kim rolled and righted herself almost immediately as the older woman rained jabs towards her.

While Kim was defending herself, Shego threw in a kick, which landed and pushed the redhead to the floor. Shego pinned her down instantly, "Well, that ended quickly."

"It's not over yet, old woman." Kim withdrew her legs and kicked outwards, sending Shego across the floor. It was the redheads turn to be in control now as she went on the offensive. There was no doubt about it. Even after years of not fighting, it was like their bodies remembered how, cooperating in the violent dance. The rush had never completely died out even after all this time.

Out of nowhere, Kim ducked on the offensive sweeping her leg and taking Shego down. The older woman hasn't seen it coming, falling to the floor gracelessly. This didn't stop her from being alert. From there, it turned into a wrestling match, both women fighting for power over the other.

Kim smirked mid match and it didn't go unnoticed by Shego. She pinned Kim momentarily before asking, "Something funny to you, Princess?"

Kim slipped from the grasp, twisting the position to hold Shego to the ground this time, "I missed this, you know?"

Shego ripped her hands free and used the momentum to roll Kim off of her and stand herself upright, ready to continue. The hand to hand combat continued, the match evening out. Only after several minutes Shego answered, "I think I did, too."

* * *

Kim lay spent on her side of the bed. The fight had gone on for quite a while and both women had lost track of time in the heat of the moment. Only after neither could continue the fight with the same pace did they call it for the night.

Kim had showered first, claiming winner got the victory shower. Shego challenged that by saying loser got first shower as a 'pity reward'.

Either way, Kim was already relaxing under the covers of the bed as Shego finished up in the bathroom and joined her, shutting off the lights in the process.

"You know I totally won that fight."

"I'm only letting you think that because you've gotten slow."

"My reflexes are way quicker than yours!"

"Then why didn't you win?"

Shego rolled onto her side, facing away from her opponent, "I did, but you can think this victory is yours. My way of saying thanks."

Kim rolled her eyes, knowing Shego was just ending it there, but there was no way she was going to let the woman win this one, "What, so you're not going to cuddle with me tonight?"

She felt the bed move as Shego faced her, "What drugs are you on _now_?"

The younger woman grinned, knowing it was Shego's defense mechanism kicking in. She had her where she wanted her, "Last night you snuggled up to me all by yourself. I must say, your hands are very cold."

The bed moved once more, as Shego shifted back, "Don't get too comfortable now or else I'll have to use my cold hands to remove you from my bed."

The redhead smirked, knowing she had won. She pulled the sheets to her chin, getting a little more comfortable, "Yeah, g'night, Shego."

"Night, Kimmie."


	7. Chapter 7

Kim was the first to wake, feeling great after fighting the previous night. She rolled over, facing the back of her opponent. She didn't want to disturb the woman's much needed rest, but if they were to go dress shopping, they would need the better part of the day.

"Shego?"

No response.

"C'mon, Shego. We need to go shopping," Kim did her best impression of a little kid excited about the day ahead, poking the older woman's back.

This time, she didn't get more than a grunt. It seemed that this method wasn't progressing very quickly.

She smiled deviously as another technique crossed her mind. It seemed if one wanted to wake Shego, one would have to go down to her level.

"Sheila," Kim purred seductively into Shego's ear, moving up close, "C'mon, Sheila. The day's still young and we have _much _to do."

Kim slipped her arms around the cool woman, causing her to groan sleepily. It seemed she was finally waking up. She began to draw light circles around the woman's navel, wanting more reaction.

"That's right. Wake up, sleepy head," Kim couldn't help but grin. She wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the situation, but that would ruin the entire thing, "We have to start early."

Shego hummed, nuzzling into the blanket that almost covered her head entirely, "Give me five minutes," she mumbled.

"I can't do that, sweetheart. You have places to be today."

The woman groaned in response, "Back massage at least?"

"I'm not spoiling you, Sheila."

The woman grinned, her eyes still closed, "But _I_ spoiled you last night. I think that's fair trade."

Kim quirked an eyebrow, returning her voice to normal, "And how did you do that?"

Shego's eyes shot open, flashing towards the redhead before she jerked away. Unfortunately, she had been along the edge of the bed and ended up tumbling to the floor, taking her pillow and the blanket with her.

From above, Kim's sharp laughter filled the room. She collapsed back onto the bed, nearly in tears from the reaction she received.

Shego sat up from the floor, her hair a mess. Kim opened her eyes slightly, and upon seeing the disheveled Shego, she laughed harder.

Now thoroughly embarrassed, her face a slightly deeper shade of green, Shego trudged off to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

Kim continued laughing until her stomach hurt and she couldn't breathe. Of course the pale woman was long gone by then, but that didn't mean the look wasn't frozen into her mind. She had never seen Shego blush before, either. And that was a success in itself.

She knew she would probably pay later with another remark, but for now she held the small victory. With that in mind, she replaced the sheets back to the bed and went to go make coffee to really start the morning off.

* * *

After both women had started their morning with coffee and a shower, they made their way down the elevator to start the day of shopping.

"You know, I've never seen you blush before," Kim broke the silence that had consumed them most of the morning. After the shower, Shego wasn't saying much of anything.

"Don't get used to it, Pumpkin. You caught me by surprise is all," Shego played it off, exiting the elevator.

Kim stayed in pace with her, "Didn't expect such a lovely wake-up call?"

"I didn't expect such a lovely wake-up call from _you_."

A crimson eyebrow quirked, "So who did you expect it from?"

Shego shrugged, not wanting to discuss it, "Anyone but you."

Kim let it lie as they left the hotel and ventured out onto the streets. It was morning for a change, so the streets weren't as busy as they would be in a few hours. Instead of taking a cab to whatever destination they were headed for, they walked, taking in the sights along the streets.

They even stopped in for brunch, Shego's treat, before continuing to roam the city. Shego seemed to know this city well, the busy city life not seeming to faze her at all. In her defense, she did grow up in Go City, which was smaller than New York, but still much greater in comparison to Middleton or even the entire Tri-City area.

Shego had loosened up eventually, idle conversation finally settling in between the two as they cruised the streets. It made the walk much more enjoyable as they made their way through different clothing shops and finally to a dress boutique. The collection inside was expansive for the small look of the shop and there was so much to choose from.

The woman who was helping them made herself useful, picking out dresses in styles and colours Shego had requested. Even if Kim was trying them on first, she knew what the gala called for. After all, she didn't want to show up with a fluffy pink marshmallow.

After several failed attempts at a finding a dress, Kim stepped out of the dressing room with one of the newest designs on the line.

Shego couldn't suppress a whistle, watching from the chair she was currently critiquing from.

Kim blushed, running her hands down the dress. It was so soft to the touch and she did have to admit it felt _right._ She turned, letting Shego see the entire dress.

The gown was dark navy, bordering on black with a sharp A-line in the front. The thicker shoulder straps crossed upper back, before leaving the rest of her back bare from the low cut. It clung to her in all the right places, leaving Shego near speechless. A slit from the top of the left thigh to the hem showed off her powerful legs when she walked. Although plain, it was nothing short of stunning.

"You like?" Kim asked, watching Shego stare.

Said woman rose from the chair, getting a better look at the evening gown from close up, "I'm impressed. Who knew you had finally grown out of that teenage body of yours? Not that you didn't have a nice body then…"

Shego continued to eye the way the dress fit, causing to redhead to blush a little more, if not feel a bit of pride at the reaction she was getting. Even the woman who had picked the dress seemed to be stunned.

Shego looked her in the eye, "How do _you_ feel in it?"

Kim looked herself up in the mirror, twisting and turning to look at herself from many different angles, "I feel amazing."

Even if the dress was form fitting, there was still so much room to move around in. She hadn't paid attention to the tag until now, a frown muddling her features as she checked. There was no way she could pay for it, even with everything she saved up so far.

"I can't afford this," she muttered to herself.

Shego, still standing close by, heard it anyways, "No problem. I've got this one."

Kim looked up, shocked at such a generous offer, "I couldn't-"

Shego cut her off with a wave of her hand, "Don't worry about it. You've saved my ass enough times along this trip and even paid that stupid tab. It's the least I could do," she looked over to the woman helping them, "Can I get some shoes and jewelry to go with the dress, please?"

The woman had watched the exchanged, nodding knowingly before going off to get the requested items. Before she turned back, she felt something crush her midsection. She looked down to see a familiar redhead apparently clinging to her for dear life.

She stood in shock, unsure what to make of it, "Uhh…Kimmie?"

"Thank you," she said, before taking a step back and straightening herself, a light blush to her cheeks.

Shego smirked, "I told you I would repay you."

"Actually, you said you would 'show me your gratitude'," Kim starting to sound a little more smug.

"And I meant what I said. You just took it the wrong way."

Kim sniffed, "Yeah, that's because you _implied _it the wrong way."

"Says your dirty mind."

The woman returned, with the perfect matching shoes. She even brought a matching jewellery set, putting everything off flawlessly. Shego commented on the fact that she was going to need to do something with her hair for this event. If she was going in with a getup like this, she was going to need to make it perfect.

Shego was the next to try on gowns. She refused to try on anything that wasn't a mixture of black and green. The assistant finally returned with the perfect patchwork silk dress with both colours.

Shego slipped it on, enjoying the feel of the fabric against her skin. This dress was a single shoulder on the left side with a leg slit going down the opposite side. A diamond of fabric was missing right under the bust to a couple of inches below her navel, showing off her impressive abdomen. It was form fitting, showing off her curves _very_ nicely.

She threw back the curtain, strutting out with confidence.

"Woah," was all the younger woman could muster. She knew Shego was a show off, but she wasn't quite sure what to expect.

Shego wore a devilish smirk, "Yeah, I think it's pretty good."

She eyed herself up in the mirror, knowing she had found something she liked. That was quite hard to do considering her colour scheme. The assistant came forward, giving her a nice pair of tall, black leather boots and some small pieces of jewellery. There wasn't much you could add to the dress before making it too much.

"Well, I think we got what we came for, eh Kimmie?" She eyed the redhead.

The best she could do was nod.

Shego smirked, turning to the woman who had helped, "We'll take it."

The woman's eyes widened slightly, "Everything?"

"Yep."

"Right away, ma'am," she hurried off to begin putting all the items onto the bill.

Kim noticed that Shego hadn't looked at the price tag yet, "You don't even know how much it costs."

"And does knowing the price make me want it any less? I've got the money for it, so why not use what I have?"

She didn't argue, knowing this made as much sense as any. Shego paid after both of them had changed back into their street clothes. They left the shop with many good wishes from the assistant before meandering back to the hotel, stopping for dinner at an expensive place.

Kim had said she would pay for the meal after everything the older woman bought for her today, but Shego wouldn't let her. She shrugged it off, still claiming it to be payback.

Although this generosity from Shego was a nice change of pace, she couldn't help but feel a little guilty about her spending so much money when she didn't have to.

Shego caught onto the expression over dinner, "You don't have to feel so bad. Technically, I could have given you a portion of the winnings to use as you wished, but you would still end up spending it on everything I bought with the money, anyways."

Kim realized the logic of it all, but couldn't shake the entire feeling. Saving lives was something she used to do on a regular basis, so she didn't need to be repaid for it with so much money.

Dinner had been great, even the conversation had been lighthearted, the occasional banter still in place. The sun was beginning to set when the two women set back off towards the hotel, bags in hand.

Kim noticed how much Shego's mood seemed to have shifted in the last while. When she had first encountered her on the streets of San Francisco, she had been cold and hard to communicate with. Now, it seemed like they were almost best friends walking down the street together. She wondered if it was really sleep and food the pale woman needed, or something more.

For now, she didn't dwell on it, happy that her companion was finally lightening up.

* * *

When they returned to the hotel room and placed the dresses somewhere safe, another 'fight' ensued. This one didn't last as long as the last, only lasting until both women were left breathless instead of unable to move. The sun had set a while ago, the city lights below visible in the darkness of the room.

Shego, still recovering from the sparring match, stepped out onto the balcony and leaned on the railing, watching the world so far below. She took a deep breath of the cooling air, exhaling slowly in hopes to calm her racing heart.

There was something she found so beautiful about the night life. It was so full of excitement, and yet half the world never saw it. It was so dark and anything could happen. She switched her gaze from the few cars and people zipping about to the sky. Being in the city, the light pollution made it hard to see the stars unless they were all blocked off.

She turned, looking at the wall above the doorway. Maybe, just maybe…

"I hope you realize you're looking in the wrong direction." Truth be told, she didn't even hear the other woman make an entrance.

She cracked a smirk, eyes never leaving the wall, "And I hope _you_ realize what a view you're missing out on."

A red eyebrow quirked, confusion with a slight amount of worry in olive eyes, "Uh… That's a wall, Shego."

She rolled her eyes, letting out a sigh. Some things were better done, not said. With that, the woman jumped onto the railing, launching herself onto the thin window frame and up. She caught onto the edge of the building and heaved herself up.

She turned and looked down smugly at the redhead below, "No, _this_ is a view."

Kim, not to be outdone, mimicked the pale woman's previous moves, getting herself onto the building's roof. She dusted herself off before straightening and getting a true look around. On every side of her the city stretched out for miles, like a starry night only upside down. Far in front of her, the ocean stretched on, the only dark expanse for a great distance. Shego had been right.

She looked at the older woman as she stretched herself and lay down flat on the roof of the building, "I think you're missing the view again."

"By now, Pumpkin, I would like to think that I know what I'm not missing out on," she stared straight up, relaxing into her current position.

Kim followed her gaze, looking up. She was actually surprised to find stars. Even in the middle of the city, there were so many of them and it seemed like the city lights were reflecting into the sky or vice versa. She settled down beside Shego, seeing the logic in everything now. Maybe the woman wasn't completely mad.

"Now _this _is a view."

"This, Princess, is what everyone else down below is missing out on. Some of 'em don't even know what they're missing."

The redhead didn't respond, only gazing up at the amazing sight hidden by the millions of lights down below. Certain awe struck her as she suddenly felt so small in the middle of a universe so immense. On top of that, this was like looking through time, seeing what the stars looked like millions of years ago. Who knew if half of them even existed today? She didn't let herself become overwhelmed by the feeling, knowing how depressing that could be and there was no need to end the day off on such a sour note.

The younger woman turned, looking to her rival, "Shego?"

The woman continued to stare upwards, not losing whatever she was gazing at, "Mmm?"

"When you get your powers back, what are you going to do?"

Shego visibly stiffened, still not looking towards Kim, "What's it to ya?"

Kim frowned slightly, sensing her defensiveness, "Nothing, really. I just thought that if you're not going to stop trying to restore your glow, what's going to happen when you do get it back?"

She didn't answer, continually staring up. After so many moments of silence, Kim sighed and resumed her ponderings upon watching the stars. There was no point pestering a woman who wasn't going to answer.

Both of them had lost track of time until Kim suddenly shivered. Shego ignored it, thinking nothing of it until she shivered again. She closed her eyes, knowing the redhead would probably be too stubborn to just up and leave. If anything, she probably thought it was a show of weakness.

"Cold, Cupcake?"

"Er… yeah." Shego could hear the reluctance to answer behind the admittance. Truth be told, she probably would've spent the night on the roof it wasn't for her companion.

Shego chuckled, holding up her hands as she looked them over, wishing she could use them at the moment, "I'm less useful than a candlestick now."

"You're not useless," Kim took the closest of Shego's hands into both of hers, rubbing it softly, "misdirected maybe, but not useless."

The older woman looked over at the hand that was being held, watching it with fascination, "You're hands are rough, you know that?"

Kim suddenly let go, self-conscious of that little fact. She looked her own pair over knowing what she would find. The injury from the glass so many days ago had healed somewhat, leaving little red marks with bits of dead skin sticking up. They didn't hurt so much as set a reminder for the rocky start at the beginning of the trip.

"Yeah. They'll be back to normal soon, I hope."

Even from the angle Shego was laying at, she could see the remaining damage she had caused. While it was intentional, the intention was for Kim to back off and leave her alone. As circumstances would have it, she had managed to stay a lot longer than Shego had ever intended. And she had helped instead of hindered.

She spoke up quietly, not used to apologizing for her actions when she never regretted them at the time. She knew what it would mean to the ex-hero though, "I'm sorry about your hands."

Kim closed her fists, putting the infliction away for now, "Eh, I had it coming. It was your garage and all."

"That's still no excuse for doing that."

The younger woman was surprised by the apology, not expecting it from the other woman. She looked up, meeting soft emeralds with her olive ones. Even in the dim light, she could see that Shego had meant it.

A small smile graced her lips as she watched the impossible, forgiving the pale woman for such a genuine act. The moment was perfect, or it had been until another shiver wracked Kim's body.

Shego chuckled, pushing herself into a sitting position, "C'mon, Pumpkin. Let's get back inside _before_ you freeze your ass to death. I don't wanna explain why I'm carrying a body out of the hotel."

"I'm sure you'd find the perfect excuse," Kim countered, pushing herself from the ground.

"I'd just end up leaving your cold body on the roof so I wouldn't have to explain a damn thing," Shego flashed an evil smile, before strutting to the edge of the building and hopping off.

The redhead rolled her eyes, rubbing her arms as she walked to the edge of the building, "Then who's gonna save that sorry ass of yours?"

She peered down, seeing Shego gazing up with a look in her eye, "Trying to claim my ass, are we? Well, I'm flattered," she smirked, holding her arms up, "Need a hand, Princess?"

Kim blushed, glaring at her adversary, "No, just fine thanks."

She jumped off the building in a nonchalant way, trying to prove she could take care of herself. She measured her land wrong and stumbled a bit on impact, but instead of falling over, Shego caught her around the waist.

Kim met her eyes to see an 'oh really?' look accompanied by a smirk. Of course, Kim blushed harder, huffing as she turned and went for the room.

Shego chuckled, having one-upped the younger woman once more as she followed her in for the night.

* * *

Shego slipped under the covers in the darkened room, Kim already dressed and cuddled up. She made herself comfortable quickly, snuggling up into the cool sheets. She closed her eyes, ready for sleep when she noticed the bed shake ever so slightly.

She paused, as it subsided then started back up seconds later. She opened her eyes, confused until she realized it was coming from the other occupant.

"Kimmie?"

She heard a shaky breath before a solid reply came, "Yeah?"

"Are you still shivering?"

The air filled with silence before the vibration started again, "Y-yeah."

Shego sighed, knowing the younger woman didn't have warmer clothing to get into and cold sheets were probably the last thing she wanted, "Go take a bath. It feels like there's an earthquake in here."

"N-no. I'll be fine. I just needa warm up."

Shego rolled over, now facing the woman's back, "That's why warm water will help."

"I don't wanna get outa bed," came the redhead's stubborn reply.

Shego watched as the other woman tried to stop shivering for a moment, only to start up again a little after.

"Goddammit, Possible," the pale woman growled, throwing her portion of the blankets back onto the redhead to layer her up, before leaning back onto the pile herself. With her cold skin, she was next to useless. This way, at least, Kim was compact inside of blankets that were soon to be warm.

"What're you doing?" came a muffled question.

"Mowing the lawn, what the hell does it look like?" Shego grumbled, crossing her arms.

"It looks dark," a smug reply.

Shego just rolled her eyes, sitting where she was.

"Shego?"

"Yes?" she hissed, annoyed.

"You don't have to do this. You're not gonna get much sleep this way and I don't think you can afford that."

"Thanks for your concern but it's this or seismic activity and I prefer to sleep without _tremors_ in my bed."

"Oh yeah? Is that what you tell all the girls you bring back?"

"_Never,_" she smiled wickedly, "But I guess I have technically been sleeping with you so this makes a first."

She heard Kim sniff, knowing the blush was spreading across her face and hopefully warming her up. The conversation died after that, Shego listening as Kim's shivering smoothed out to nothing at all as her breathing got deeper and deeper. With eyes shut, the pale woman listened to the rhythmic sound and starting to fall out of consciousness.

Even in the lounging position, she was particularly comfortable after the busy day. After all, she had slept in places much worse.

* * *

Kim yawned, blinking several times after as she woke up in a particularly strange position. She could feel the weight of added blankets still layered above her. As she regained more of her senses, she could feel something cooler against her back.

She stretched, turning onto her back, knowing she was probably going to be unable to wake her bedmate. She looked beside her to see Shego sharing her pillow with her back turned, fast asleep.

She couldn't help but crack a smile. It seemed she had fallen asleep trying to warm her up and ended up using what little bit of blanket she had been left with. It was a sweet gesture.

Kim slipped out of bed, unfolding the blanket and throwing it back onto its original side. Shego slept through it, cuddling up more when the blanket expanded in size.

The younger woman made her way into the kitchen, going straight for the coffee. It seemed to be the only thing that actually got the woman on her way in the morning. She began brewing a pot, knowing Shego liked it as black as could be. It was much too bitter for her taste but that's the way the woman liked it and who was she to judge.

When the pot came up, still scorching hot, she poured the first cup and took it straight to the bedroom. The older woman was still tucked in, looking sound asleep. Kim pulled the covers back from Shego's face, bringing the steaming cup up close. The woman made a humming noise, seeming to come out of dreamland.

"Coffee? For me?" she muttered, still sounding half asleep.

"You betcha."

Shego cracked an eye, "Way too much enthusiasm for this hour,"

She pushed herself upright, running a hand over her face and then through her hair, trying to shake off the drowsiness. Kim handed her the cup which she gratefully accepted. She closed her eyes once more, taking a good whiff of it before taking a sip. Hot and dark, just the way she liked it.

"This is way more effective than trying to get you out of bed by any other means," the redhead concluded, thoughtfully.

"Wake-up sex works well, too," Shego smirked, dead serious as she took another sip of the scalding liquid.

"I'll keep that in mind," Kim rolled her eyes, blushing as she got out of the bed and went back for her own cup.

Shego smiled. Yeah, life was good right now.

* * *

"Ready, Princess?" Shego called, waiting by the door.

"Just a sec!" came the hasty reply.

"Any longer and we're going to be late," she was becoming impatient.

The soft sound of heels could be heard against the floor, before the woman in question appeared. Shego couldn't help but give the woman a once over, taken by how well she cleaned up. On top of the dress, her hair was done up in a tight bun with loose strands hanging down on either side of her face along with her bangs.

"Don't you clean up nicely," admiration was clear in the pale woman's voice.

Kim blushed faintly, as she finished putting the backing on her earring, "Not so bad yourself."

Shego's hair had been done up in a high ponytail, her hair still cascading down her back; bangs still in the front. She held a purse in one hand, keeping whatever they may need for the visit inside.

"Ready?"

Kim took a deep breath, straightening up, "As ready as I'll ever be."

Shego opened the door, holding it for Kim to exit, as she wore her usual playful smirk, "Ladies."

A red eyebrow rose, taking the offered opening, "And what does that make you?"

"A gentleman?"

Kim entered the elevator the pale woman in tow, scrunching up her nose at the idea of Shego as a 'gentleman', "Not even close."

A dark eyebrow quirked, "Oh? And why not?"

"I don't think you'd ever find a gentleman dressed like _that_," the younger woman eyed Shego's dress for emphasis.

Shego looked down, "Guess not. Don't think they have tits either."

Kim stifled a laugh as they exited the elevator and headed for the doors. The few people in the room who hadn't seen them get off the elevator turned to look, surprised at the two women leaving the building.

A cab was already waiting, ready to take them across New York to the centre that was hosting this great event. It was rush hour traffic, taking longer than necessary to get to the destination, but they didn't show up too late.

Kim had gotten them both in easily under the name Dr. Possible. Everyone was allowed one guest with them, making the access much easier than Shego had anticipated. At least she didn't have to crawl through the dirty air vents in her dress to get inside.

They both received glasses of champagne upon arrival as a pre-dinner drink. Everyone who attended had dressed up as fancy as ever, letting them blend in just fine. This must have been one of the most popular events of the year. For now, everyone was walking around or in small groups talking to each other about something or other, most likely related to the medical field.

Shego jumped right in, talking about different subjects and getting the names of the most well-known surgeons around. Kim watched as some of them eyed her pale green skin uneasily, knowing they were worried about some unknown disease she may have. Shego seemed to ignore it, talking as if she enjoyed the company and the conversation.

Eventually, her search led her to the supposed high ranking medical doctors with advanced training. She recorded the names and their specialties on a small piece of paper, hoping to use all this useful information later.

Kim found herself enjoying some of the conversation on fields she had studied, even if she wasn't nearly as advanced as most of the others. Some of the doctors even knew each other personally and she found herself in the middle of a chat about normal everyday things.

Dinner had been called sometime later and both women met back up with each other at a table on the outside. It seemed a few of the expected guests hadn't shown up, so everyone else had found seats on the inside, leaving them their own private table.

Kim took her seat, an almost empty champagne glass in hand. She was impressed; they hadn't even gone cheap on the drinks.

She set the glass on the table, turning to Shego, "Find everyone you were looking for?"

The pale woman smirked, happy to finally be getting closer to her goal, whatever that was at the moment, "Yep, and more."

"Glad to hear that," she said, relaxing in the chair. That was the whole reason they needed to sneak in anyways.

Shego nodded, grabbing for the bottle of red wine resting in the bucket of ice in the middle of the table. She poured herself and Kimmie a glass, before relaxing into the chair. Technically, she got what she had come for but there was no need to leave before dinner.

The two of them had chatted casually while they were served dinner (which turned out to be quite fancy) about little unnecessary things. Dessert was served after, along with a bottle of white wine to top it off. It was a change of pace for both of them, which was strange to say the least, but refreshingly so.

Speeches and awards ended the most formal part of the night, as they announced the opening of the dance floor that would continue now until the end of the night. Majority went to enjoy themselves before they called it a night while the rest continued chatting for now.

"The guy didn't look up while he was writing off the car part, so when he said 'have a good day, sir' I couldn't just let him leave," Shego took a sip of red wine, already finished with her glass of white. She was more of a red wine woman anyways, "Needless to say, I taught him a thing or two about how treat a lady he wouldn't soon forget. If he's got a wife, I'm sure she appreciated that black and blue shaping up he got."

Kim giggled at the ending, a little too much wine to drink. It had been a pretty good story in her defence. "Is there anything you _don't _solve with violence?"

"You can't straighten out a dent by talking sweetly to it, Princess," Shego explained sarcastically.

Kim couldn't help but giggle again, the wine putting her in an exceptionally good mood. She hadn't lost her sense of perception, seeing Shego smile as she took another sip of wine. It seemed the pale woman was enjoying herself just as well.

"Shego, you're smiling," she stated obviously.

Shego quirked a brow, watching the redhead with a slightly bemused expression, "How much wine have you had, Pumpkin?"

The younger woman snickered, "Less than you."

Shego gave her a sceptical look, knowing that was probably true considering Kim wasn't much of a drinker, "Well, I think we call it a night. How 'bout you?"

Kim looked past Shego to the dance floor behind, pouting slightly, "But I wanna dance."

"I don't know if you're in any state to dance."

"I haven't had that much. Just one dance. Please?" She had sworn not to use her famous pout, a pleading look the next best thing.

Shego rubbed her forehead, knowing this could potentially end up a complete disaster, "Alright, but if you start stumbling everywhere like a hot mess, I'm going have to call it and we're heading back."

Kim gave a small squeal of excitement as she got up from the table, her current state giving her the courage to dance and hopefully not hindering her feet.

Shego pushed herself from the seat, shaking her head as she followed behind, "You're like a child when you're under the influence."

The younger woman flashed a smile over her shoulder, "Does that make you my mother?"

Shego couldn't help but smirk, "I had no idea you were into such kinky things."

Kim's best response was to stick her tongue out.

Before they made it across the room, a young man at a passing table spoke up, "Kim?"

The woman in question turned, hearing her name. She stopped in her tracks as she looked at the brown haired guy that called out at her, seeming to sober herself up fast, "Uh, hey, Brian."

He stood from the chair, taking a few steps to come up to her. He was slightly taller and well-built for a boy of his age, "My dad said he saw you here and I guess he was right."

Shego watched silently for the moment. The young man Kim addressed as Brian looked like he wanted something from her and didn't look all that nice about it. Kim stood defensively, looking like she was about to fight and flee at the same time.

"Funny. I don't remember speaking with him."

Brian shrugged, "You were in the middle of a conversation. He said he didn't want to disrupt you."

"Ah, very courteous of him."

"You know how he is."

Kim only nodded, watching carefully.

"I was wondering if you would care to dance with me," the brown haired male held out a hand expectantly.

Now, Kim was never one to be rude, but she _really_ didn't feel like dancing with this guy, "I… um…"

"C'mon. It's the least you could do for me after everything that happened."

Shego knew Kimmie could never lie, let alone come up with one good enough to get this guy away from her. Her discomfort was obvious and from the way Brian pushed, he knew it was so.

So what better way to help out than step in?

Shego stepped forward, slipping a pale arm around Kim's waist. She received a confused look, but ignored it as she confronted the guy, "She doesn't care to dance with you because she's mine. So you can back off or I'm going to take that ego of yours and stick it where the sun don't shine. Capishe?"

Brian gave her a cynical look, crossing his arms, "Oh yeah? I'd like to see you try."

The pale woman gave him a cocky smile, wearing on him, "Just give me a reason, asshole."

The young man's face quickly contorted into something Shego knew quite well. He lashed out, unfolding his arms and throwing a punch. Shego had seen it coming from the oversized brute, dodging it and catching his wrist with hardly any movement.

This enraged him further, causing him to throw another punch which she easily caught. She could feel her own fury building, as she put her face in close with a dangerous scowl.

He had a look of astonishment with a little fear as she was still holding both his wrists quite solidly and looked ready to pick a fight.

Before she could tear a strip off the guy, she felt a hand on her bicep, "Please don't, Shego. This night was great. Don't ruin it on a sour note."

She glared sharply into his eyes, growling out in a low tone, "See that? She saved your worthless hide. Try hitting a woman again and next time you won't be so lucky."

Shego released his wrists roughly before turning and heading towards the exit, a redhead in tow. A few people had watched everything play out but Shego had kept her voice low, drawing much less attention than she could have. Kim was thankful for that.

The younger woman caught up, looking over to see Shego trying her best to cool off. The dangerous look in her eyes said she wanted to go back and rip the man to shreds.

"Thank you for not making a scene back there."

Shego just snorted, "How the hell do you know him anyways?"

Kim blushed from embarrassment, "I dated him in first year college. He seemed sweet at first but he turned out to be a control freak. I pretty much wasn't allowed to talk to _anyone_ without his permission while he would practically hook up with other girls in front of me. So I left him and he wasn't happy about it."

"And here I thought you had a good perception of people."

Kim looked down, her mood finally plummeting, "Yeah, so did I. I don't even know why I stuck it out with him as long as I did."

Seeing the state Kim was going into, Shego cooled off a little more, not wanting a self-pity party after the night had gone so well, "Don't be so hard on yourself. He just needs a good clock cleaning to get his head on straight."

Shego hailed a cab, Kim still down about the end of the night. As they sat in the back of the vehicle, Shego eyed the other passenger. She placed a hand over the younger woman's, getting her to meet her in the eye, "Past is past, Kimmie. You do stupid shit once and hopefully you get a little smarter next time and don't end up doing it again."

Kim shook her head sadly, "I know. I moved on long ago."

Shego couldn't help the questioning look, "Then why so miserable?"

"We never gotta dance."

Shego chuckled, surprising the redhead, "That's it? Alright, I'll give you one dance when we get back to the hotel."

A bright smile spread across Kim's face, excited that she was getting the dance she so desperately wanted.

Shego couldn't help cracking a smile once more at her childish behaviour as they made their way back through the darkened city. And for the rest of the cab ride, neither made a move to withdraw their hands.


	8. Chapter 8

Shego let herself in, a tipsy redhead in tow. She didn't bother turning on the lights, the city below providing just enough in the dim room. A dance she had promised and she wasn't about to start going back on her word.

She turned on the TV, switching it to a music channel just finishing up a song, before extending a hand towards her partner, "May I have this dance?"

Kim placed her hand delicately in the offered one, accepting it with a small smile as the next song began to play, "Ever the gentleman, aren't you?"

_If you were here beside me, instead of in New York,_

She pulled gently, taking the redhead to the slightly more open space beside the window, "I try my hardest."

_If the curve of you was curved on me,_

Shego placed both hands just above her hips, pulling her in close. Be it from the wine or not, Kim responded boldly, lacing her arms around the taller woman's neck. For now, they just swayed to the music, enveloped in the gentle tune and the pale light from outside.

_I'd tell you that I loved you, before I ever knew you, 'cause I love the simple thought of you,_

The younger woman rested her head against Shego's shoulder, enjoying the coolness of the pale woman's skin against her warm face. For the first time in a long while, she was satisfied with the way things were. She stayed there for a little while, everything beginning to feel dreamlike, before a small revelation she hadn't quite come to terms with escaped her, "I missed you."

_If our hearts are never broken and there's no joy in the mending,_

"Hmm?" Shego hummed drowsily, having missed the statement as Kim had muttered it a little too quietly for her to catch.

_There's so much this hurt can teach us both,_

Kim lifted her head from its resting place, looking warmly at the woman she was currently dancing with, "I missed you while you were gone."

_There's distance and there's silence, your words have never left me,_

Shego wasn't one to miss much, always moving forward with things. Things came and went in life, and she was used to it; she had to be. Somehow, that wasn't the case this time, "I missed you, too."

_They're the prayer that I say every day,_

Kim smiled gently as she looked into deep emerald eyes. Even in the dim light, they held their beautiful sharpness, something she really hadn't paid attention to before.

_Come on, come out, come here, come here,_

_The long neon nights and the eek of the ocean,_

What happened next could be the result of many things, be it the buzz or knowing the feeling of missing the other was mutual. Regardless of what it was, Kim stretched up, pressing her lips to the soft pair of the ex-villainess'.

_And the fire that was starting to spark,_

She wasn't quite sure what to expect to be honest, but when the pale woman didn't pull back, she didn't feel discouraged.

_I miss it all, from the love to the lightning, and the lack of it snaps me in two,_

Instead, Shego held her own. Something seemed to crack in the pale woman as if something long forgotten had been remembered that instant. She pushed Kim against the nearest wall as the kiss escalated to something more passionate, something needy.

_If you were here beside me, instead of in New York, in the arms you said you'd never leave,_

The ache for air caused them to break apart, emerald meeting lust darkened olive. Shego felt heat in the pit of her belly as she looked into Kim's eyes, asking permission and searching for reassurance that this wasn't one-sided.

_I'd tell you that it's simple and it was only ever thus,_

Kim's response was to capture the pale woman's lips once more, hungry for more. Hands roamed, feeling at the body under the fine silk dress. Shego's fingers found the desired zipper, pulling it and letting it slip to the floor in a silky pool.

_There is nowhere else that I belong,_

She pulled away, admiring the well-toned body before her. She could tell by the way the redhead was shifting that she was a touch nervous, ready to cover her body.

"Don't," Shego spoke up gently, meeting the younger woman's gaze, "You're gorgeous."

This seemed to calm her, even just a little bit, as lips locked in a fiery battle. Shego pressed Kim to the wall harder, prompting her to wrap her toned legs around the older woman's waist.

Shego wrapped her arms underneath the now attached woman, carrying her to the bedroom, lips still locked. She didn't want to lose this now. Not again.

She laid the redhead down, still battling for dominance, before breaking off and trailing onto the younger woman's neck, feeling her arch into the trail of soft kisses and gentle nips. She continued down, taking her time with her breasts, before moving down to her navel.

_Just give me a sign there's an ending not beginning, to the quiet chaos driving me mad,_

She looked up at the redhead, an animalistic glint in her eyes, before growling out, "You're mine tonight, Princess."

Kim couldn't suppress the shiver up her spine upon hearing those words.

_The long neon lights and the want of the ocean, and the fire that is starting to go out._

* * *

Wakefulness began knocking at what seemed to be an hour much too early. Her senses slowly returned, as she felt herself resting against something cool. Her body, still feeling very reluctant, refused to work exactly how she wanted. Instead, she relied on opening her eyes.

She blinked a few times, clearing the haze from her eyes, to find herself resting underneath someone's collar bone. It clicked in a few seconds, everything from the past night flooding back to her.

She lifted her head, looking at the woman who appeared to be resting as peacefully as ever. So it definitely hadn't been some crazy dream.

She looked down her prone form, seeing her legs entangled with her bedmate's, covered by a thin sheet that left very little to the imagination. One of her arms, which she hadn't moved, was still draped across the woman's abdomen.

"Regretting it, Princess?"

She looked back up to Shego's face to find her looking like she was still fast asleep.

Truth was, she didn't. As reluctant as she was to admit it, she had deeper feelings for her adversary for a long time. She just hadn't come to terms with it until quite recently.

She lay her head back down, snuggling in close, "Nope."

They lay like that for a while, comfortable in each other's presence and the embrace. One of Shego's arms was wrapped around the redhead, holding her in close as she gently stroked her upper arm with her thumb. Kim had never seen the usually irritable woman so calm, so caring.

She didn't want that to change. Not right now, at least.

"What now?"

Kim felt and heard the pale woman chuckle, "Do you ever stop asking questions?"

The redhead grinned, "Only when I have answers."

Shego sighed, sarcastically responding, "Well, I guess it's going to be harder to get rid of you now, isn't it?"

"Hey!" Kim poked her in the stomach, "I didn't see you complaining last night."

She felt the woman smile, silently agreeing, "It would've been rude if I treated you like a light switch."

Kim arched a brow, remembering shortly after that Shego couldn't see her face, "What are you talking about?"

The older woman grinned, "Like a light switch, Pumpkin. Came into the room, turned you on and walked out."

Kim rolled her eyes, "And what would _you_ have done after you walked out of the room leaving the light switch sexually frustrated?"

"Kicked myself for the bill later."

Kim chuckled, settling in. The banter in which they had become accustomed to was never in shortage in any situation; that little quirk never failed to relax both of them for some strange reason. It just felt comfortable.

"I don't know."

Kim tilted her head back, looking up at the woman's jawline. Not only hadn't she expected the answer, but she wasn't quite sure where it fit in, "Hmm?"

Shego looked down, meeting the olive gaze half way, "You asked me what I plan to do after this. Truth be told, I didn't know if I would make it this far because I was being hunted," she relaxed back onto the pillow, watching the ceiling, "I have the money to fix that now and still pay off the doctors for whatever they can do."

Kim noticed the woman hesitate, filling in for her, "But you don't know what they're going to find, if they find anything."

Shego nodded, "They don't even know what they're looking for, so it's like looking for a needle in a haystack of needles."

Kim thought for a moment, figuring one last option, "I think I can pull in one last favour for this."

Shego looked back into olive eyes, an eyebrow quirked inquisitively, "Pulling favours to help the likes of me? I really have brought you to the dark side."

Kim gave a small smile, resting her head back below her shoulder, "Yeah, now where are those damn cookies you promised?"

"Cookies? You want cookies?" Kim's body tensed as she recognized the huskiness in Shego's voice, "I'll give you some cookies, alright," she purred.

And just like that, Kim felt nimble fingers ready for the next round.

* * *

The other line rang once before someone picked up. She didn't know if she expected an answer or not, given that she was using a public landline.

"Hey, Wade."

The boy lit up immediately at the sound of the familiar voice, "Kim! It is you! How're you doing? And why are you in New York?"

Kim couldn't help but crack a small smile at his enthusiasm and that he already knew where she was. She never doubted his ability with computers, "I'm fine Wade. It's a long story which I will gladly fill you in on later. But right now I need one last favour."

"Of course, Kim. Anything for you."

She smiled, happy he was so eager to help, "Can you send a Kimmunicator to my current position? I need you to run a few tests for me that only you could ever possibly manage."

She could hear him typing madly on his keyboard as she spoke, complying quickly, "Already on its way. It should be there in a couple minutes. What kind of tests do you need done?"

"I'll fill you in on everything as soon as I get the device. My time is almost up and I didn't bring much change and it's a _long _story."

"Alright, Kim. See you in a few."

"Bye, Wade."

* * *

"So let me get this straight. You found Shego and joined her in an illegal cross-country race to help her get her powers back. And now you need my help because you need to know what exactly it is that's inhibiting her powers?"

Kim sighed, looking at the oversized boy in the small screen, "I know it sounds bad but she really does need my help. She seems so lost without her powers and it _is_ my fault she's been without them for so long. I know she used to be my sworn enemy but everyone needs a little push sometimes."

"I guess it makes sense. I'll see what I can do when you get those scans."

Kim smiled, "You're the best, Wade. Oh, and one more thing. This has to stay confidential. I don't need Global Justice or anyone else on our backs just because Shego's resurfaced all of a sudden. Just imagine the hay day they would have if they found out she didn't have her powers."

He grinned, "Got it. There's no way they could hack into my computer system so everything should remain completely confidential for both of you."

"Thanks, Wade. I'll have those scans to you shortly." With that, the screen blinked back to black as Kim slid the gadget into her pocket. It fit almost as well as she remembered it.

In truth, she hadn't talked to Wade in quite a while. She indulged in her studies leaving him to his genius work and wherever that would take him. She knew she could still come to him for something like this because he always had her back and it was relieving.

The elevator opened and she exited, walking across the short hallway to the suit door and entering with ease. Shego was lounging on the balcony wearing her silk robe and sipping on a steaming cup of coffee.

Kim knocked gently on the window before poking her head outside, "He agreed to see what he could do."

Shego tilted her head back, looking up at the redhead, "Anything is better than nothing, right?"

Kim cracked a smile, looking down into shining emeralds, "Since when are you so brightly optimistic?"

Shego smirked before snapping her head forward and standing upright, "What can I say? It's hard not to be when I'm _this_ close to getting my glow back."

Kim moved aside, letting the pale woman inside, "I need to take a few body scans, if you don't mind."

Shego put the cup down before turning with a wicked grin, "Is that with or without clothing?"

The redhead couldn't help her blush, "_Shego!_"

"What?" the woman held her devilish smirk, "Nothing you haven't seen."

Kim gave an exasperated sight, "You can leave your clothing on, thanks."

Shego chuckled, standing before the redhead, "I assume you filled the Nerdlinger in on everything that's going on."

"Yes, _Wade_ knows," Kim said pointedly, readying the Kimmunicator, "Hard to keep him under the radar when he can find out information faster than you can blink."

Shego nodded her agreement as Kim began scanning top down. A gentle blue light illuminated the area she examined and the information was quickly sent out, uploading to the boy genius' computer.

Kim clicked it off in seconds as it finished, "Now we wait."

"Ooh, fun!" Shego rolled her eyes with sarcastic excitement, taking back her coffee mug.

"He'll have the answers back to us as soon as he can," Kim offered, knowing just how efficient the boy was.

The pale woman took a sip of her coffee before replying, "With the best or worst news possible."

"What happened to that optimism from before?" She couldn't ignore how blatantly true Shego's words were, even if she was trying to stay positive.

Shego shrugged, "Things change."

Kim gave her a sceptical look, "It's been, like, five minutes tops, Shego. C'mon."

The woman cracked a smile, finishing off the rest of her cooling coffee, "I was an irrational person five minutes ago."

Shego placed the mug by the sink before heading towards the bedroom, "We need to go out and see New York one last time, anyways. Tonight will be the last night here so we should make the most of the day," she turned and looked at the redhead, "Wash my back?"

Kim rolled her eyes, "We're never going to get out of here at this rate."

The pale woman gave her a devilish look, "So, that's a yes?"

Kim blushed profusely, following after the woman.

* * *

"Ah, dammit."

Shego looked towards her redheaded companion, "Language, Kimmie."

Kim hands dropped to her sides after she finished feeling at her pockets, "I forgot the Kimmunicator back in the hotel. We won't get the details until later."

Shego shrugged, looking nonchalant as ever, "More time to relax before receiving the devastating news."

She was right if not a little pessimistic. Kim hesitated for a second before finally letting it drop for the rest of the day.

* * *

After wandering about the city for much of the day, enjoying the big city life and each other's company, the pair had made their way back to the hotel room.

Shego opened the door and went to place her bags in the bedroom while Kim went straight for the Kimmunicator.

She hit the button which instantly flashed to show a familiar dark-skinned genius, "Uh, hey, Kim."

His hesitation didn't go unnoticed, "Hey, Wade. Sorry about being unavailable for the last few hours."

"Don't worry about it. I figured if you weren't answering you had a good reason for it."

Kim nodded, not wanting to discuss how shopping and taking in the sights had been a better excuse for missing the calls, "So, did you find anything out?"

Wade looked uneasy, tapping his keys to bring up something she couldn't see, "I did. Is Shego around?"

Kim checked behind her, seeing Shego enter the main lounge, "Right here, Nerdlinger. Don't get your panties in a knot."

Kim shot her a look, which she completely ignored, as she took her place beside Kim on-looking the small screen.

"Alright," the boy on the screen spoke up, taking a deep breath, "There's good news and bad news. I take it you want the worst news over with first?"

"Better to just get it over with," Shego nodded, unblinking. Kim couldn't help but notice how tense the woman looked even if she held a calm exterior.

"When the meteor hit you and your brothers, it changed your DNA therefore changing the development of your brain, and in this case, the thalamus, the hypothalamus, and the cerebellum."

Shego interrupted before he could continue, "Before you go on, remember to keep it simple for those of us without a degree in human biology."

"Right," he went on, "The hypothalamus controls body maintenance like thirst, temperature, sexual behaviour and so on," the boy went a little darker, "The cerebellum controls body movement and control, and the thalamus controls the connections with the rest of your body.

"To put it simply, each of these areas developed in such a way to enable you to use and control your powers upon will. Because of severe electrical trauma, the connections were severed and you lost the ability to produce the plasma at will. And, if I'm not mistaken, your body temperature dropped too."

Shego swallowed the bile rising in the back of her throat, "You can fix the connections, right?"

"That's the thing," Wade sighed, "I don't know."

"You don't know?" Shego's anger was kicking in, her defense mechanism against the things she couldn't control, "The boy-genius doesn't know? Well, you obviously have some knowledge if it wasn't an outright no."

"Shego," Kim said warily, trying to calm the woman. Anger wasn't going to help anything along.

Shego paid it no mind as she continued to glare at the screen as the boy typed madly.

"You see, it's not impossible. There's a microscopic device still under development designed to restore these connections. It's meant to restore memory connections for aging patients but its general function is restoring neural connections inside the brain.

"The problem is it has only been tested on rats, but the success rate is in the nineties."

"I don't see a problem with that. I'll be the first human trial if I have to."

"Shego-"

"That's not the problem," Wade cut Kim off before they could start an argument about something that was hardly relevant, "It may restore the connections, but the death rate of the rats that had their memory restored was one hundred percent."

Shego's jaw set, "That's only in rats. The result could be different in humans." It was a weak argument in her own ears, but when she was so close, she didn't want to give it up just yet.

"Wade, is there some way you could alter it so it wouldn't kill the host?" Kim finally spoke up, trying to find another angle to look at this from.

"Already ahead of you. I'm reconstructing the device to have the same connection reattachment effect with less chance of death. I've already begun deriving the new device from the schematics of the one under development."

"You rock, Wade," Kim couldn't help feeling a little better.

"What's the death rate after you make these alterations?" Shego couldn't help the slight frown that was tugging at her features.

Wade looked a little uneasy, "So far, I've gotten it down to a fifty-three percent chance. I'm trying to find any other way I can alter it without it becoming completely useless."

Shego just stared, silently processing the information.

Kim looked at her before turning back to the dark-skinned boy, "Alright, Wade. I'll check back tomorrow to see what you've come up with."

"Sure, Kim. Before you go, do you have a surgeon lined up? Because, even after my alterations, it's still deep brain work and you will need a professional for it."

Kim wore a small smile, "No big. I've got that all under control. Thanks again, Wade."

"No problem, Kim."

With those final words, the screen went black.

Kim looked back to Shego who appeared completely unfazed, as if the entire conversation never happened, "I don't feel like going out tonight. Wanna order in food?"

The redhead was momentarily shocked by the abrupt change in pace, but let it slide knowing the pale woman was probably worked up enough as it was, "Uh, sure. I don't feel like going anywhere either."

"Sweet. I'll go make the call."

Kim watched as Shego stalked away, unable to help the worry she felt for the woman.

* * *

"Ah," Shego sighed, relaxing into the chair, "Nothing like a solid meal after a hard day of shopping."

Kim looked over, an eyebrow cocked, "Hard? Really?"

The pale woman smiled lazily, licking the last of the butter off her fingers, "'Course. It's hard finding things in my colours."

"Such a hard life you have," Kim drawled sarcastically.

"Don't I know it," Shego finished with a smirk.

The sun was most of the way behind the horizon now. It seemed they got to see quite a few sunsets in the time spent in New York, but no sunrises. Heck, that was probably for the best as it was way too early for Shego's liking.

"What's your favorite flavour of ice cream?"

Shego's eyes flashed over to her company, confusion quite clear on her face, "Uh, what?"

Kim chuckled, "Ice cream. What kind do you like best?"

"Um," Shego thought about it for a moment, "Maple Walnut."

"Hm," the redhead hummed, "Interesting."

A dark eyebrow rose, as she examined her companion, "Where the hell did that come from?"

"Nowhere, really. I was curious is all," Kim shrugged.

"Strange thing to be curious about, Pumpkin."

"Not really," Kim relaxed into her seat, "I just figured there was some stuff I didn't know about you so I thought I'd ask."

Shego paused for a moment, considering her words. Truth be told, she was kinda right. "What's your favorite kind then?"

"Rocky Road," Kim grinned.

Shego rolled her eyes jokingly, "Leave it to you to pick the sweetest of the bunch."

The redhead looked over wearing the same smile, "Yeah, but you like it sweet."

"Got me there, Princess."

* * *

The sun had long gone down, the sky dark, and the night life had picked up. Both women had taken to lounging on the roof and stargazing for the remainder of the night. Shego lay lazily with her head resting on the redhead's stomach, while the other woman absentmindedly worried a small lock of dark hair between her fingertips.

The pale woman inhaled the brisk night air deeply, holding it in, before slowly letting it out. The air smelled of city, of cement and vehicles, but that was a given in such a huge place. It would be nice to get out of the city, maybe go somewhere warm with beaches stretching on for miles and the smell of salt water and rum filling the air.

"Hey, Princess?"

"Yeah?"

"What are your plans after all of this?" Shego continued to watch the stars above her, enjoying the gentle rise and fall from Kim's breathing.

Silence filled the air for a few moments. Kim hadn't really thought about what she was going to do after, too preoccupied with the race and getting Shego's powers back. Now that it was mostly over, she had to start considering her options. But what were they?

"I… I don't know," she answered genuinely.

Another silence fell over the pair, soft breathing and the city life far below the only things filling the silence, before Shego spoke up once more, "Well, there is an empty passenger seat in my car if you ever want another ride."

Kim lifted her head slightly to give the older woman a questioning stare, "Is this your way of asking if I want to join you in illegal races and other criminal activities?"

Shego shrugged nonchalantly, continuing to gaze upwards, "It's whatever you want it to be."

Kim let her head rest back on the sweater. As much as she hated to admit it, it was an awfully tempting idea. Truth be told, she missed the action filled days of her teen years. University had been a long period of straight studies and it always felt like something was _missing _from it.

Racing was an added excitement, and she had to admit they made a pretty good team. There were many other dangerous things she could be doing and that seemed like a good argument as any.

"Does that mean you're going to continue racing if you get your powers back?"

Shego shrugged once more, "Quick cash, exciting, and I'm damn good at it. I see no reason to stop. Don't get me wrong; being the world's best and sexiest thief was fun," she paused momentarily, "I'm not sure how useful plasma is in all of this, though."

Kim couldn't help but be thoughtful. It was strange to hear that Shego had switched gears, no pun intended, "Does this mean you've given up thievery for good?"

The pale woman snorted, "'Course not. It's all about the rush, Cupcake. I may have taken up racing but a few things here and there doesn't hurt."

Kim rolled her eyes, "Except those who own the item."

Shego waved her hand dismissively, as if swatting down the idea, "Please, a billionaire can go without a few gems, and nobody appreciates half the good artwork anymore. Try it once with me and then you can have a valid opinion on it."

"But stealing is wrong," the younger woman huffed.

"Just once. And if you really don't like it, then you can return whatever it is and I'll never ask you about it again."

Kim mulled it over, her moral compass telling her it _really _wasn't a good idea, "But what about GJ? If they find out I'm behind this…"

Shego sniffed, "You and I both know we can out even their top agents. Plus, were not stealing weapons of mass destruction or planning to take over the world. It'd be low enough on the priority list that they'd never know what hit 'em."

Kim sighed deeply, knowing Shego was probably right. She did know what she was doing.

"I'll take that sigh as a yes?" The pale looked over, expectantly.

Reluctantly, the redhead answered, "Just once. That's all. Then I'll decide if it's worth it or not."

Shego gave a devilish grin before returning her gaze upward, "You won't be disappointed."

Before the quiet could catch up, a random thought entered Shego's head, "So, you've never driven down the Oregon coast for the heck of it?"

Kim shook her head and realized shortly after Shego couldn't see, "No. I've taken a couple missions in that state but I've never driven the coast for fun."

Shego clicked her tongue disapprovingly, "You are missing out on some wonderful beach."

Kim sniffed and rolled her eyes, "For a second there I thought I was missing out on something important- Ow! Hey, not nice!"

Shego chuckled, having lightly pinched the redhead's thigh.

A strange silence covered the pair, Shego finally breaking it, "Kim?"

"Yes?" The redhead couldn't help but notice the use of her real name or the foreboding feeling in the pit of her stomach. The conversation was about to turn serious.

"Promise me something."

Warily, Kim replied, "I'll do what I can."

"No. Promise me you'll visit that area, regardless of what happens to me," something in the older woman's voice seemed forlorn.

Kim looked up, eyes worried once more, "Shego…"

"Just promise you'll go cruising that way at least once. Maybe stop at a beach or two along the way and enjoy the sunshine. It really is a beautiful drive."

"I… I promise. But you shouldn't be talking that way. Wade will have the device fixed up in no time and it'll be ready to go. Have a little faith in him," the redhead tried to keep the concern from her voice.

Shego sighed, closing her eyes, "I do, but there is always that small chance."

Kim relaxed back onto her makeshift pillow, a slight frown muddling her features, "I guess."

The pale woman opened her eyes, looking up at the redhead with renewed fervour, "Hey, I'm just preparing for the worst case scenario. I plan to stick around as long as possible, so wipe that expression from your face," she switched her gaze back upwards, "Tomorrow, I'll take you wherever you decide to go."

"And if I decide to stay?" Kim bit her lip, hoping she didn't sound too eager.

Shego smirked, "I knew you couldn't stay away from me."

Kim tugged the small piece of hair she was fiddling with, earning a chuckle from the other woman, "We get out of here and plan a heist, Cupcake, while we wait for that Nerdlinger of yours to come through."

The younger woman sighed, "You make it all seem so simple."

"That's because it is. We've got the easy job. The surgeon and your genius friend have the hard work."

* * *

"Do you have anything specific planned out, or are you just going to wait until something pops up?"

Shego smirked, "You have to know what you're getting into, Pumpkin, and that involves a little bit of planning. Stealing a bag of chips doesn't cut it."

The valet handed Shego her keys, which she promptly took and headed for the driver side.

"I have one more place to stop before we leave the city," she told Kim, before slipping into the car, bags already loaded.

A crimson eyebrow quirked, as the redhead slipped into the passenger seat, "May I ask where this is?"

Shego shifted into gear, weaving her way through the late morning traffic, "I need to pay off the mafia. Got some unfinished business with them."

Kim gave her a sceptical look, "So that's why we almost got our heads taken off several times?"

Shego nodded nonchalantly, "Pretty much."

Again, a crimson eyebrow quirked, "What did you do to piss them off?"

"It's not that hard, but that's another story for another time," she navigated several corners easily, seeming to know exactly where she was headed, "I just want to finally get out of this mess."

"Then you never should have made them angry in the first place," Kim said resolutely.

Shego snorted, "Easy for you to say, Pumpkin. I did what I had to do at the time, and that's how it is."

They pulled up to a Korean restaurant in the lower end of town, a couple cars parked out front. Kim didn't fail to notice the black SUV not unlike the ones that had chased them down in Chicago. It made her feel a little uneasy that they were walking right in to meet them. There weren't many people she couldn't defeat, but bullets were a whole other story.

Shego grabbed a case from the back before looking to the redhead sternly, "Stay here."

Kim opened her mouth to argue, but was quickly cut off by the pale woman, "I don't care what you think, you are not coming. Remember, I'm not on their good side and I'm not so sure the boss man's nephew survived that crash. It's best you stay here because things are very likely to get messy with the slightest provocation."

"But-"

Shego slammed the door shut, ignoring the redhead's request, straightening up and heading for the door. She walked with purpose, putting on a much more confident face than she felt. These guys could snap at any moment, so it was best to pay them off and get the hell out. In one piece.

Upon entrance, she spotted a higher up and two muscle-heads near the back. As she made her way over, she noticed the place smelled of salt and various other spices, making the inside of her nose burn.

She ignored it, standing in front of the table. All three of them eyed her, the two muscle-heads looking ready to attack upon instruction. She was on very thin ice.

She held up the case before placing it on the table before them, "All your money is in there, including an extra five million."

The first guard eyed it sceptically, before looking to his higher up. The man nodded once, instructing him to open it and make sure she wasn't trying to scam them.

Shego waited, stone faced and trying her best to relax. She was half way there and now wasn't a good time for a sarcastic remark.

The man looked up from counting, acknowledging that she had indeed paid as requested. The higher up leaned back in his chair, looking at her indifferently, "It seems you're all paid off."

Shego nodded and turned, already making her way for the door and away from the potentially dangerous men behind her, not daring a sigh of relief just yet.

"I wouldn't be making your escape too quickly," the tone was casual, but she knew it was all an act, "You may have paid off the big boss, but I have a bit of score to settle."

She felt genuine fear in the pit of her stomach, suppressing the need to shiver as she turned back around, "And what score is that?"

"That little stunt you pulled at the finish line. I think it's only fair you get what you gave."

It happened in a matter of seconds. Deafening shots rang out as crippling pain tore at her midsection and shoulder, bringing her to her knees.

Teeth clenched tightly, she couldn't help regretting how far she had come just to fail.


	9. Chapter 9

**Cannon Beach, Oregon, Six Months Later…**

She walked towards the water's edge, relishing in the feeling of the fine, warm sand between her toes and the cool breeze against her skin. The hot summer sun was no match for the wind coming off the water, keeping the air crisp instead of uncomfortably muggy like it should have been.

She watched the gulls diving in and out of the gales, flying low enough to feel the ocean spray before returning skyward. For a moment, she wondered how it would feel to fly so close to the ocean. She quickly brushed it off as a passing thought.

Her toes met with the wet sand for a couple strides, feeling it compress under each foot, leaving a near perfect imprint where it had been moments before. She stopped shortly and looked back, a single set of footprints following her to the exact location.

The cold waves lapped at her ankles and erased those lonely prints, drawing her forward, luring her with the sweet mysteries of the vast expanse before her. She faced the open ocean once more, inhaling the salty air before releasing it with a sigh, and shut her eyes. In some strange way, this just felt right.

"_Hey, Princess?"_

_She looked down at the woman bleeding out and in desperate need of medical attention, whether she wanted it or not. She couldn't help the shaking of her voice, "Y-yeah?"_

_Emeralds looked up, unusually warm in spite of the woman's tart personality and the unfortunate situation, "Remember what I told you."_

_The last couple weeks whizzed through the younger woman's mind. It was hard to believe that's all it was; it felt like so much longer. _

_She couldn't help the confusion she felt, not exactly sure what it was the pale woman was referring to._

_Shego smirked, coughing painfully before choking out her next words, "I had no idea your memory was that bad. Yesterday, on the roof-"_

"_No," Kim interjected firmly, effectively cutting her off, "Don't think like that. The paramedics will be here any minute."_

_Shego coughed again, wincing at the uncomfortable motion, "Nuh-uh. You made a promise. I expect you to follow through regardless of what happens."_

"_Shego…"_

"_You promised," the pale woman released a ragged breath, "Now, I just… wanna rest."_

"_Not yet," Kim grabbed the older woman's hand, gripping it tightly in desperation, "I can hear the sirens. They're close. Don't give up yet."_

_A chuckle turned into a coughing fit, this time bringing up blood, "Always the optimist," emerald eyes looked up into olives, smiling, "I'm just glad you didn't get out of the car."_

_Kim felt Shego's hand go limp as her head lolled forwards. _

"_No! Shego! Don't give up yet! Y-you can't!" Kim screamed out into the restaurant, tears flowing as she gripped strongly onto a cool, pale hand. "Please, don't go!"_

She took a deep breath before stretching her arms out and up, relieving the tension in her muscles from the long drive over. She reopened her eyes to look back out at the waves, watching as they began to crest and come to shore in a tumbling mess, lapping lazily at her feet. It felt wonderful.

She gave a small smile and the wind picked up for a moment, kissing her skin as it blew past. Her smile widened ever so slightly, putting memories to the winds gentle touch.

She looked over to the rock sticking up from the water, like the crest of a serpents back, and watched the waves crash violently into it, soaking the hard surface. It would drain off in little streams only for another to strike the surface and repeat the action like clockwork. Over and over and over again.

_She hadn't been allowed to ride in the same ambulance as the pale woman due to the sheer emergency of the situation, but they had offered another ride to the hospital equally as fast. _

_It had been so hard to release the slender, pale fingers that seemed so lifeless in her grasp. But they needed their space. They needed to get her help as soon as they could, and she was only in the way._

_When she had arrived at the hospital, she was taken to the waiting room with a few other people already seated. She found an empty seat and collapsed into it lifelessly, knowing she probably looked just as bad as the undead, her hair a mess and her eyes rimmed with red, her cheeks tear-stained and dirty. _

_She rested her head in her palms, ignoring the worried looks she was receiving. She didn't know how long she sat like that, just wishing for the wait to be over, for everything to be fine, for the doctors to work their magic and make everything alright. _

_The opening of a door caused her to look up at the doctor who had entered the area. Olive eyes met stone cold blues; she couldn't help the foreboding feeling sending a cold shiver down her spine as he made his way towards her._

The cool air was beginning to dry her eyes out, small tears beading up in the corners of her eyes. The wind was calmer now, but she had been watching the rock with intent, forgetting to blink.

She blinked a few times, clearing the blurriness as she turned to look down the beach. The area was huge with a few couples and families dotting the near-white sand, as the expanse stretched on. One could walk for hours to just get from one end of the beach to the other.

She turned the other direction, looking up the coast. Past the cove was another stretch of beach, this one uninhabited and not stretching quite as far. It was a wonder no one was there. Maybe she should walk down there.

"_I don't understand."_

"_The bullets nicked a couple vital organs. We were able to stop the bleeding for now, but she's on a steady decline. She has a week at best. I'm sorry." His eyes were cold, apathetic, in spite of the warmth in his tone. Dealing with this for years had enabled him to separate any emotional attachment from work. _

"_And there's absolutely nothing else you can even try?" she asked again, verging on pleading. _

"_I swear, we've tried everything within our power, Miss Possible," his voice carried the same false tone as before, his eyes flashing momentarily with irritation._

_She paused for a moment, ignoring his subtle annoyance at her persistence, considering the last possible option. It wouldn't be complete in the next week, but it was now or never._

"_I have one last thing we can try. It goes a little beyond common practice, but it's the last option we've got."_

_He eyed her warily, before sighing in defeat, "Alright, what have you got in mind?"_

_With renewed hope, she straightened up and began explaining, "It's a device to restore neurological connections within her brain…"_

Warm arms wound their way around her waist, pulling her into a gentle embrace. She shut her eyes, unconsciously leaning into the warm figure behind her, the ghost of a smile playing on her lips. The wind picked up as if encouraging her to relax; to enjoy what she had.

"Beautiful here, isn't it?"

She hummed her agreement, reveling in the mixture of warmth against her back and the cool breeze on her exposed skin. She was content here, enjoying the view and her company.

"Am I always right or what?"

She sniffed playfully, opening her eyes and looking up into mischievous emeralds, "And full of yourself."

"Well, I have to be full of something and if it isn't myself, then it's-"

"Shego. You're ruining the moment," Kim interrupted, scrunching up her face with childish distaste to stop any further inappropriate conversation.

Shego chuckled at Kim's childish antics, leaning down to gently kiss her. She intertwined their hands, before pulling away, "Shall we take a walk?"

Kim looked up, eyes sparkling, "Love to."

Shego couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as they walked hand in hand, with the waves lapping at their feet.

In reality, Kim had been wrong to assume the statement was going to turn inappropriate. In fact, it was the exact opposite.

* * *

**Good god, I am finally finished that beast of a story! May not seem that long to all of you, but I started this thing three years ago. (Three years for that thing? You crazy? I coulda done that in a month!)  
**

**Sorry if it sucked at times. There were parts I had to write that I just couldn't get the right wording for.**

**Thanks to all of you who stuck around through this entire thinger. I enjoy the company (even if I had no idea half the time). And thanks for the lovely reviews!  
**

**Song used in chapter 7: New York - Snow Patrol [Fun fact: the entire story was based off this song. The first two chapters that were in New York were actually done first. And I initially planned for Kim to get ditched.)  
**

**Enough rambling! It's my birthday and this is my present to you! Enjoy  
**


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